Middlesex captain Peter Handscomb believes opener Sam Robson should be considered for an England recall, having last played Test cricket in 2014.
Robson was the fourth opener England tried following Sir Andrew Strauss' retirement in 2012 and was only given a brief run in the side that lasted seven Tests. Against Sri Lanka and India, Robson scored one hundred and a half-century and ended the summer with a decent Test average of 30.54.
However, he was axed for the next series against the West Indies and has not represented England since. In that time, England have trialled 15 specialist openers (excluding Sir Alastair Cook), with only Joe Denly boasting a marginally higher average than Robson's.
Now 32 years old, Robson boasts much more experience and was the third leading run scorer in the County Championship last year, making 1047 runs at an average of 40.26 for Middlesex. And speaking after Robson made a brilliant 149 against Sussex in the latest round of the County Championship, Handscomb tipped the opener to earn an international recall.
"I think there needs to be conversations about Sam Robson playing for England again," he told the ECB Reporters Network. The team looks like it's going through a restructure and Robbo has been putting it together for three or four years now. We've already seen that he can make runs opening for England."
Speaking before the start of the new season, Robson said he would "love" to return to the England Test fold. He told the Cricketer : "In the first couple of years after England, maybe I thought about it a bit too much at times rather than just going out there and playing.
"It's in the back of your mind all the time – I'd be lying if I said it wasn't – but now it's not something that I really analyse or think much about. I'd love to play for England again.
"As long as I'm playing first-class cricket, that is something I'll always be striving for, regardless of whether a player's 25 or 35. I think that should always be in the back of your mind."
Robson also cited the late-career resurgences of former Middlesex teammates Chris Rogers and Adam Voges as "inspiration". Australia recalled Rogers at 35, while Voges made his Test debut at the same age and the pair both enjoyed success.
Rogers added a further 24 caps to the solitary one he earned in 2008, retiring aged 37 with 2015 runs at 42.87 and Voges retired with 1485 runs at an average of 61.87 after 20 Test appearances. "Guys like that have been a bit of an inspiration," Robson added.
"Maybe that's a bit over the top, but seeing guys like that play at their best as they got older spurs me on. The more you play and the older you get, the better you get until the point where it's time to call it a day.
"I think that's been the case with me, but that doesn't always mean that's when you're going to get your opportunity. I feel in a good place, so hopefully I can carry that on."
