New coach Chris Silverwood has suggested that Alex Hales could be welcomed back into the England squad under his leadership.
The 30-year-old Nottinghamshire opener failed a recreational drugs test earlier in the year and was dropped from England’s victorious World Cup squad on home soil as a result. Hales also lost his central contract and was not involved in the drawn Ashes series against Australia later in the summer.
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It was the second time he had failed a drugs test, while he was previously involved in the incident that led to Ben Stokes missing the Ashes tour Down Under in 2017-18. Hales has not been named in the squad for next month’s five-match Twenty20 series against New Zealand, but incoming coach Silverwood appears to have left the door open for him to feature in the future.
The former Essex coach, who was recently appointed as Trevor Bayliss successor, said: “I believe in never say never but equally he’s got to prove that firstly he’s getting the runs. Time is a great healer, so it’ll be a case of watch this space, really.”
