Ollie Robinson has not been selected for England's Test series in Pakistan, despite his key role in their series whitewash in the country two years ago. Mark Butcher explained his impression of the reasoning behind that decision on the Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast this week.
The first Test in Pakistan will take place in Multan in less than a week, starting on Monday, October 7. England have selected a vastly different squad than the one that toured the country two years ago and completed a historic 3-0 series win. It will be an entirely different pace-bowling attack from that series, with James Anderson now retired and Mark Wood out injured. Robinson has also not been included, having not played a Test match for England across the 2024 summer following his disappointing performance in India earlier in the year.
Robinson was a key part of England's victory last time out in Pakistan, bowling in tandem with Anderson and showing endurance and accuracy in hostile conditions for seam bowlers. While his England returns have diminished since then, he was impressive in Sussex's promotion-winning County Championship campaign over the summer. He was Sussex's leading wicket taker among seamers, and fifth overall in the Division Two wicket-taking charts. However, there has been no mention of the possibility of a recall, during a summer in which young pacer Josh Hull made his England debut, as well as Gus Atkinson's Test debut, and Olly Stone's recall.
"I don't think there's any denying his [Robinson's] skill as a bowler, and I'm pretty sure that is not the reason why he's on the outside at the moment," said Butcher, speaking on the Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast. "I think there's been a breakdown in trust between him and the management. From what I've heard and what I think I know, the covenant of trust between those guys and the player has broken down almost irretrievably.
"The management would lay the blame at his door firmly, he might have a riposte to that but that is basically it. There are no denying the numbers or the skill he has. But the England players are given quite a lot of leeway in terms of the trust they are given by management, and I think he's broken that once too many for [Brendon] McCullum and [Ben] Stokes and therefore finds himself on the outer."
Despite an apparent closing of the door from England, Robinson has made it clear he still has Test match ambitions. Speaking to BBC Radio Sussex this week, Robinson said: "I'm really going to ramp up my fitness - my goal is to play Test cricket for England. That's where my head's at at the minute - get as fit as possible, be ready for April when we return to Division One and put in good performances again.
"The Ashes down under is something I've always wanted to win. From being a little kid to now, every morning I wake up and that's a goal of mine. That's what I've got inside me, that drive. And hopefully I can get back there next year."
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