Saqib Mahmood is hoping this is the summer he finally establishes himself as a first choice in England’s T20 set-up.
The Lancashire seamer took three wickets for 22 runs in Wednesday’s Vitality series opener against India at Chester-le-Street, which was washed out before England had a chance to start chasing 190, dismissing Sanju Samson, top-scorer Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Verma.
With returning Test bowlers Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue due to rejoin the side ahead of Saturday’s second match at Emirates Old Trafford, the pressure on bowling spots is only due to increase.
Mahmood has amassed just 20 caps in the format since he debuted in 2019, frequently stalled by injuries, and missed the T20 World Cup earlier this year as he recovered from knee surgery.
But now he wants to make a spot his own after approaching managing director Rob Key for clarity on his role in the pecking order.
“I’ve been involved with England stuff for a long time and it still feels like I’m trying to nail my place down,” said the 29-year-old.
“I feel like when I do get my chance and a bit of a run, I do perform and it’s the same now. I had a good chat with Keysy around the World Cup stuff, he told me where he viewed me and talked about strengths of mine and how that fits in with the team, especially as a new-ball bowler.
“My strength is powerplay bowling and moving the new ball, so for me (the challenge) was doubling down on that and making sure that part of my game is right.
“It’s obviously been frustrating, I don’t think any player is happy missing out. I’m the kind of person who will always try be a good team-mate even when I’m not playing, but you always want to stay ready and try to take that chance.”
Despite always having to fight for his opportunities, be it through rehabilitation periods or twisting the arm of the selectors, Mahmood does have the distinction of being a three format international.
He has made 17 one-day international appearances and even won two Test caps in the West Indies in 2022. The fact that series was the last one before the newly-retired Ben Stokes became England captain shows how long ago he was in the long-form set-up and he currently has a white-ball contract with Lancashire.
There are provisions for him to play occasional first-class matches and, although he remains open to the idea, the prospect of another fitness setback looms large in his thinking.
“Me and Keysy had a bit of a chat about red ball as well,” he said.
“I went on pre-season with Lancashire and bowled really nicely with the red ball, and I was kind of itching to get back. But the reality is that I wasn’t ready, I wasn’t bowling fit.
“I had knee surgery at the end of last season and there’s still a lot of work to do. I respect that side of it having had a couple of injuries, you don’t just walk back in.
“If an opportunity presents itself later in the season it’s a thing I might (consider) if my body feels good, but on the flipside there’s a lot of stuff going on in white ball. If I did get a spot I don’t want to just give that up by playing red-ball cricket and potentially getting injured.”
