Sam Curran admitted to some trepidation about contemplating his involvement in the T20 World Cup after he was struck down by injury just a couple of weeks before England’s last campaign.
Twelve months ago, Curran was already in the United Arab Emirates ahead of the global event – on Indian Premier League duty for Chennai Super Kings – when a stress fracture in his lower back was detected.
Curran was therefore cruelly ruled out before the start of the tournament, where England reached the semi-finals, and he also missed last winter’s Ashes as he spent seven months on the sidelines.
While he shone in England’s T20 series-opening win against Australia on Sunday, Curran was reluctant to think about playing in England’s first World Cup group game against Afghanistan on 22 October.
“It’s a scary thing to get excited about because I missed the last World Cup and we’re nearly there, but there’s still two more games (against Australia to come) as well,” the 24-year-old left-armer said.
“Missing last year’s World Cup was gutting. I probably didn’t play much red-ball cricket this summer due to the body. The main focus has always been trying to get fit for this.
“I know for myself I’ve probably just got to keep trying to put in some performances and if it works, it works, and if it doesn’t I’ll keep smashing away.
“I’m sure whoever plays against Afghanistan will be delighted but it’s a tournament where it’s going to take a whole squad to win. The guys are really excited.”
The seam bowling all-rounder’s variations came to the fore at the weekend as he successfully defended 16 off the last over at Perth’s Optus Stadium – the venue where England will start their World Cup campaign.
Curran, who has a habit of making crucial interventions for England, claimed two wickets in that last over as England secured an eight-run win ahead of this week’s double header at Canberra’s Manuka Oval.
“It’s great to be in those situations,” Curran said. “Those are the moments you want to be involved in and hopefully we can keep getting better in those phases when the game’s on the line.
“I haven’t played much cricket in Australia before so it’s a great learning (curve) for me.
“We definitely want to win all these games. You take confidence from winning games and we’ll take that momentum hopefully into the World Cup.”
It's the classic great bit of niggle to start the trip against the Aussies— Sam Curran
One of the wickets Curran collected in the first T20 was Matthew Wade, who had earlier thrust out his arm to deny Mark Wood the chance to claim a return catch off the Australia wicketkeeper-batter.
He likely would have been dismissed for obstruction but England captain Jos Buttler declined to appeal, in part because he did not want to incur any opprobrium from the Australian public.
Buttler accepted he may have made a different decision had it been a World Cup match – the Ashes rivals will play each other in a group match in Melbourne on 28 October – and Curran echoed his skipper.
“It’s the classic great bit of niggle to start the trip against the Aussies,” Curran chuckled. “Like Jos said, he didn’t want to set off the tour like that. Maybe in a World Cup game we would have appealed.
“We keep it light-hearted now but I’m sure in a packed house at the MCG it might be a bit different.”
Australia all-rounder Mitch Marsh also took a playful view when asked about the incident, telling reporters: “Would I appeal? If it was Wadey, yes I would appeal. Anyone else, probably not.”
Chris Jordan may be in contention to return from a fractured finger in Wednesday’s second T20 but Liam Livingstone continues to miss out, instead targeting a comeback in England’s final World Cup warm-up against Pakistan in Brisbane next Monday.
