Honest chat with captain Ben Stokes pays off for Ollie Robinson

GEORGE DOBELL AT OLD TRAFFORD: Robinson impressed in the England Lions match against South Africa a couple of weeks ago, looking in better shape and producing a much more sustained display of bowling

Ollie Robinson is to play his first Test since January having been recalled for the second match of the LV= Insurance series against South Africa at Emirates Old Trafford.

Robinson, who was reduced to a limited role in that game in Hobart by a back injury that has severely limited his opportunities since, replaces Matthew Potts in the England side. The England management believe that Robinson's height and high delivery point will prove an asset on an Old Trafford pitch which is expected to provide a little extra bounce.

The recall could mark a significant moment in Robinson's career. While there have rarely been doubts about his ability – his record in his first nine Tests (39 wickets at 21.28 apiece) is excellent – there has been concern over his fitness. In particular, it has been noted by the England management that he tends to lose pace over the course of an innings and has been forced off the pitch on several occasions, leading to an increased demand on his colleagues.

A combination of dental trouble and food poisoning have limited him to just three first-class matches this season and he was off the pitch for a substantial part of one of those.

A series of frank exchanges between Robinson and the England management – including the new Test captain, Ben Stokes - may well have done the trick, though. Robinson impressed in the England Lions match against South Africa a couple of weeks ago, looking in better shape and producing a much more sustained display of bowling.

^{Ollie Robinson is back in the England XI [Getty Images]}

Certainly Stokes, who admits he was "very honest" with Robinson about his need to gain fitness, has been pleased with the reaction. He hopes that everything Robinson has learned over the last 18-months or so can be put to go use to enable him to go on and enjoy an outstanding career as a Test bowler.

"He's deserved his call back up to the squad initially," Stokes said from Old Trafford. "And everything that we've seen in the training days and how he's been around the group is exactly what we want. I think we all know the quality of a bowler he is because when he's played for England his skillset is incredible.

"I was very honest with Robbo. I feel that's something people deserve. Rather than just have a conversation to get through it, I'd rather let him know exactly where I stand. That enables him to go away and work on what has been asked of him. He's done that to the absolute extreme. He's worked hard behind the scenes.

"Look at the way that he operated in the Lions game against Africa: he bowled some long spells; three and four spells in a day and took wickets as well. So I'm very excited for him to be able to put the England shirt on again. It's something that he's worked very hard for and he fully deserves it.

"It's very tough for Matty to miss out but what he's done in the five games that he's played has really announced himself on the big stage"

Ben Stokes on Matthew Potts

"It's obviously been a very difficult time for Ollie. It wasn't his form letting him down: it was his body. That's a very tough thing to deal with.

"But I think he can look back and use it as experience. Everything that's gone on in the past is something that he's grown from and he's learned a lot from about himself. Not just as a person but as a player.

"I stayed in contact with him quite a lot throughout the period and just told him that any team that he plays for is very lucky to have him because he what he possesses as a bowler. So, as I said, I’m very excited. He thoroughly deserves this. And I can't wait for him to go out there and show what it's all about."

Potts can, perhaps, count himself unfortunate, though. While he was not at his best at Lord's, where he seemed to struggle bowling to left-handers, he has enjoyed a fine start to his Test career. It is hard to imagine a batter being left out after one poor game.

^{Ben Stokes paid tribute to Matthew Potts' contribution [Getty Images]}

"We've always felt Old Trafford is one of the quicker wickets that offers a lot more bounce," Stokes explained. "When you look at what Ollie possesses as a bowler, one of his real key assets is how much extra bounce he gets compared to other bowlers in our squad. Hopefully the wicket bounces or we'll look stupid by picking him.

"It's very tough for Matty to miss out but what he's done in the five games that he's played has really announced himself on the big stage. And we've got to give him a lot of credit to handle the decision so professionally at such a young age. I think that is a real indication of where we're at with this team. He completely understood. For a 22-year-old to understand the bigger picture and not throw his toys out the pram was something that I think shouldn't be overlooked.”

Meanwhile Stokes played down fears of his own his fitness problems, though he did admit knowing how his knee would react to bowling was like playing "roulette".

"I don't think a bowler has ever bowled without pain, really," he said. "And it's something that I am able to manage and understand.

"I know I can do it and I know I can get through that. And sometimes it looks a little bit worse than it is because of how I have to offload once I bowl. But yeah, there some days are good and some days are bad. It's almost like roulette, you don’t really know what you're going to get. It is what it is."

Related Topics

• Ollie Robinson makes Test return against South Africa at Old Trafford