‘It felt like a long time’: Sam Curran rises to England challenge after exile

All-rounder was given target of being a top-six batter to regain place and delivered runs against New Zealand

For a while, Sam Curran became used to hearing reasons from England’s leadership as to why he was not in the team. On Saturday, after his unbeaten 49 in the rain-curtailed opening T20 against New Zealand, the message was very different: obviously he has been welcomed back, but now he is going nowhere.

“He was given very honest reasons for why he wasn’t selected,” the England captain, Harry Brook, said. “He went back, practised hard, and he’s done really well. He’s going to be around for a while, I think.”