Even by the standards of this winter, one in which cricket truly never slept, Will Jacks was a busy man.
Between late-September and early March, he made England debuts in all three formats, toured Bangladesh, New Zealand and Pakistan (twice), and left his mark on South Africa’s new T20 franchise tournament.
But as Surrey began their County Championship defence at Old Trafford this morning, the all-rounder was missing - and not because, as had been the plan, he was drinking in the IPL’s riches for the first time.
“It was an unfortunate thing,” Jacks said of the injury - a damaged tendon in his hip flexor - that forced him home early from Bangladesh and onto the sidelines now. “Originally, it was thought that it was nothing, but the MRI came back and it was something reasonably significant. It’s quite complicated. It’s a weird cricket injury; apparently it’s quite common in football.”
The intense winter workload, Jacks believes, may have been to blame for his misfortune, not for the hours spent at the crease or in the field, but rather those sat in seats on planes.
“I had 40 flights in the winter,” he explained. “In South Africa, you have to fly to every game. In New Zealand we took quite a few flights, and then obviously a long one to Bangladesh.
“It has definitely been the busiest winter I’ve ever had; I don’t think it helped. Flying from New Zealand [to Bangladesh], I didn’t train really before the first game because my bags didn’t arrive. I definitely think that didn’t help.
“You’re never really sure [what caused it], but that’s obviously part of it. I think going forward, I’m just going to have to be really good on my recovery after flights, looking after my body a little bit better than I have done this winter.”
At this stage, Jacks says the timeline on his return is still a little uncertain, though it is hoped he could be back in time for the start of the Vitality Blast next month. Already, the injury has cost him a debut IPL campaign, a cruel blow given he had picked up a £250,000 contract at Royal Challengers Bangalore and that the tournament would’ve been an ideal chance to impress in Indian conditions as he pushes for an autumn World Cup berth.
“It’s obviously gutting,” he adds. “It’s something I’d love to have done – even watching the games, the crowds and atmospheres are something I’d have loved to have been a part of. But there’s always next year.”
Jacks’s development as a genuine all-rounder has accelerated his England rise, his off-spin having proven more than handy in Pakistan and likely to do so again in India next winter, if not for the World Cup then certainly for the Test series early in 2024. This time last year, the 24-year-old had just four first-class wickets to his name but went on to take 17 in Surrey’s title-winning campaign and then six on debut in Rawalpindi.
When he is back fit, and back in Surrey’s red-ball side, however, he is determined to provide a reminder that his greatest strength lies with bat in hand.
“That has been one of the things that has been slightly lost,” he added. “I think the role that I have here – batting seven or eight, I even batted nine last year – I’ve been slightly frustrated at is the lack of opportunities up the order.
“I averaged 50-something last year and I know I can bat in the top six – well, four – and I’d love to do that. Just because I’ve suddenly started bowling, it doesn’t mean I’m no longer a batter. I’m a full all-rounder who can bat in the top six and I’d like more opportunities to do that.”
