For a while, it seemed the big story behind every England squad announcement was who was not in it. There always seemed to be big names missing, either because of injury – quite often involving a certain Barbados-born bowler – or poor form. But the tide appears to have turned and if England’s recent white-ball performances have not all provoked great optimism their squads are starting to do so.
After Jofra Archer thrillingly returning for the trip to South Africa, the group for the six-game tour of Bangladesh that departs at the end of this month, announced on Thursday, includes another long-term absentee. Saqib Mahmood, like Archer, has recovered from a stress fracture of the spine.
