England Test opener Zak Crawley is targeting a more regular role in England’s white-ball side, telling the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast that he feels his game is “perfectly suited” to the 50-over and T20 formats.
Crawley has made just eight appearances for England since making his debut in 2021, averaging 28.42 points per game, while he is yet to feature in a T20 team.
Crawley has been one of England’s standout performers ever since a horrific summer of 2022 in the Test team, scoring just 50 runs and scoring seven single figures in 13 innings, leading to calls for Incorporate him into the white-ball arena.
“I’ve always wanted to be a good white-ball player,” Crawley told the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast. “I’m trying to add some other batting to my game but I feel like it’s a good fit and I’ve done well in T20 cricket in the past when I’ve played.
“Things haven’t been going well over the last few years, so I want to focus on the red ball and stay in that team – playing Test cricket has always been my priority.
“It will always be my first choice format – it means a lot to me – but playing for England in any format is a huge honour, and playing white-ball cricket is something I really want to do.
“I’m trying to add more power to my game and I’m trying to do some different things with the Nets and hopefully hit more and bigger six-pointers.”
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Crawley reveals his intention to make an impact on first delivery of 2023 Ashes series
“Coping with failure has helped me a lot”
Crawley attributes the Test turnaround to the support of head coach Brendan McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, who have stood by him through his downturn in 2022.
The 26-year-old opener has averaged 41.60 and recorded two centuries in his 16 Tests since the summer of 2022, including last summer’s Ashes series draw at Old Trafford scored 168 points.
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Crowley says a change of mindset has helped him improve his form
“In 2022, when I wasn’t feeling well, I found myself reading more [criticism],” Crowley said. “But luckily I’ve gotten away from that trend now and I don’t read positive or negative articles.
“That’s really something I’ve been working on last year that’s helped me a lot, is dealing with failure.
“In India, I tried to get into this headspace where the outcome was predetermined – ‘I’ve done all the work’ and just let it happen. That helped me tremendously to realize that I had no control over the outcome – just go out and have fun.”
Crawley added: “I always felt like I wanted to score and I think Baz [Brendon McCullum] and stokes [Ben Stokes] Seen that in me… They give you the freedom to go out and take on the challenge – it’s how you play, not how many runs you score.
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Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Crawley explained the impact of Brendan McCullum and Ben Stokes on the England Test squad
Although England have lost their fourth consecutive Test match in India, losing the series 4-1, Stokes won’t be losing the captaincy anytime soon – and that’s not Crawley’s current ambition, anyway.
When asked if he had ambitions to become a captain one day, Crowley said: “To be honest, I don’t.
“If I was asked, then obviously that would be a huge honour, but playing under Stoke, he’s the best captain I’ve ever played for.
“I always strive to be a leader on the team, conduct myself in a professional manner and be a good team player. You don’t have to be a captain to be a leader.
“I’ve always felt that if you want to be captain, then you shouldn’t be captain. The captain should be the person the team wants to be captain.”
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