'I think he has done his time' - Rob Key hints at open door for Alex Hales' England return

Veteran England batter Alex Hales can make a potential return to the national team as new managing director Rob Key reckons the 33-year-old has served his punishment and shouldn’t be overlooked anymore for his past mistakes. However, he’s not certain whether the dashing opener is good enough to find a place in England’s white-ball teams with the likes of Jason Roy, Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan, and Jonny Bairstow in the ranks.

For the unversed, Hales was dumped from the side on the eve of the 2019 World Cup as he failed a recreational drugs Test. Besides facing a 21-day ban, Hales also lost the trust of England’s white-ball skipper Eoin Morgan. While Morgan may still have his views intact, Key reckons three years away from the international set-up is long enough.

I would have Alex Hales available for selection: Rob Key

“I will have to speak to the people involved in that decision but I would have Alex Hales available for selection. I think he has done his time. But does that mean he gets in the team? That is a different debate,” Key was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

Meanwhile, Hales has been on song with his performances in T20 leagues worldwide and has presented a strong case for himself to make a comeback to the national team. Be it in the Big Bash League or the Pakistan Super League, the right-handed batter has proved his mettle against the best of bowlers. However, England’s current white-ball set-up has no dearth of quality top-order batters and hence, Hales’ return isn’t certain even if the selectors put his past mistakes aside.

Last year, the swashbuckling batter opened up about his goal of making a return to the England team and Key’s predecessor Ashley Giles suggested he could be reintegrated. However, Hales wasn’t even picked in England’s 18-man second-stringed squad that faced Pakistan in three ODIs last July. Notably, the T20 World Cup 2022 will take place later this year in Australia. Hence, it would be interesting to see whether Hales is given a go in the assignments prior to the competition.