I don’t think England should turn their backs on Robinson now: Nasser Hussain

If you have dismissed Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson multiple times in the first nine games of your career, then there is no better validation of your exceptional bowling skills in the world. 

Ollie Robinson took the cricket world by storm as he was incredibly consistent in the nine Tests he played against three formidable opponents after debuting last year. However, his persistent back issues prevented Robinson from playing against the West Indies and caused his ouster from the County championship. 

The former England captain Nasser Hussain believes that considering Robinson's potential with the red ball, England should give him more chances after recovering from his injury, even if the other young bowlers perform exceedingly well in his absence. 

In his latest column for the Daily Mail, Hussain has praised the selection of the Durham pacer Matty Potts but has also advised the management not to completely rule out Robinson's comeback as he has done a magnificent job in the nine games he has played. The cricketer-turned-commentator also expects Robinson to play a crucial role in England's Test setup under the new management. 

"England are absolutely right to pick the County Championship's in-form bowler Matty Potts for the first Test against New Zealand, and I think he will play at Lord's, not only because he's good enough but because so many bowlers are missing," Hussain wrote. 

"Not that I think England should turn their backs on Robinson now. Rob Key spoke on Wednesday of his misfortune with injury and illness over the last few months, but we are talking about a bowler with 39 wickets from his first nine Tests at 21 apiece. He does need to get fully fit so he can keep his speeds up throughout a Test, too, but, especially in English conditions, he should have a big role to play in England's new era," he further mentioned. 

The ex-England batter also feels that it's high time for Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope to deliver in the biggest stage and repay the faith of the selectors who have given them a long run despite their inconsistent returns with the bat. 

"There remains huge potential in Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope — and, as Duncan Fletcher always used to tell me, selecting is about an investment in the future. That's what England are doing with these two now, but they need to deliver," Hussain wrote. 

Regarded as one of the finest English captains of all time, Hussain has also expected England's new test coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes to inculcate their ability of playing the situation in every player as he expects a winning brand of cricket from the team. 

"McCullum once made a 13-hour Test triple hundred, and Stokes laid the foundations for what was to come in the first four hours of his match-winning innings against Australia at Headingley in 2019. It will be about playing the situation, and I just want to see a winning brand of cricket," the 54-year-old concluded.