‘Burns due a Test call-up’
RORY BURNS should be the next player to join the Surrey influx in the England team, according to Alec Stewart.
Surrey’s director of cricket Stewart talked up Burns after clubmate Ollie Pope’s debut was delayed by a washout on day one of the second Test against India at Lord’s.
No play was possible after steady drizzle all day. It was the first time since 2001 that a day’s Test cricket at the ground had been rained off.
There will be a scheduled 98 overs for each of the remaining four days. England are 1-0 up after winning last week’s series opener at Edgbaston.
Pope will become the third Surrey player to make his England Test debut in the past year, following the Curran brothers, Sam and Tom.
Former England skipper Stewart believes Burns, the leading batsman in this summer’s County Championship with 975 runs, should be the fourth.
And he feels another Oval favourite Jason Roy, already established in England’s ODI team, is close behind.
“At the moment Surrey are getting some good publicity because of the players in the England side,” said Stewart.
“Rory Burns has to be the next player in. He has earned the right to go away with the team this winter.
“The other open for debate is Jason Roy. If he gets enough red-ball cricket into his itinerary he will score heavily.”
Chief selector Ed Smith, meanwhile, has told Dawid Malan his Test career is not over despite losing his place to Pope.