Want to cement my place for the World Cup, will focus on longer format later: Alex Hales

With a lot of cash-rich T20 leagues coming, a number of cricketers turn their back from the longest format of the game. A few of them even tend to ignore the 50-over games to concentrate in the shortest format. England opener Alex Hales had opted to stay away from the 4-day game for his county side Nottinghamshire.

However, turns out, Hales had opted to stay out from the 4-day games in order to prepare himself for the upcoming World Cup at home. The opener has now revealed that he will make a return to the longest format of the game post the 2019 edition of the World Cup.

Interestingly, after Hales decision, England coach Trevor Bayliss had shared his thoughts on the congested cricket scheduling. Bayliss had suggested that there could be more players who will start skipping the longest format of the game.

Want to dedicate all my energy in concentrating for World Cup: Hales

While speaking to radio channel BBC Radio Nottingham, Hales revealed that he is not ignoring the 4-day cricket. Talking about his decision of skipping the four-day games, Hales said, “For 18 months I wanted to dedicate all my practice and all my energy to getting as good as I can at white-ball cricket just for the World Cup.”

The opener also discussed the tight and busy cricket schedules. “There’s so much cricket now I just want to dedicate every resource of energy and all my practice to try to get as good as I can at white-ball cricket and cementing that spot for the World Cup,” said the 29-year old batsman who was part of Sunrisers Hyderabad side which ended the tournament as a runner-up.

Hales felt that there are a number players who are trying to cement their spot in the team and hence he wants to give his all to do that. “I just want to give myself the best possible chance of being in the starting XI come next year,” Haled told BBC Radio Nottingham.

Hales had a decent outing in the IPL where he scored 148 runs in the 6 games featuring for the Kane Williamson led side. Notably, Hales had won the T20 Blast, the domestic T20 tournament and the One-Day Cup with Nottinghamshire. Hales has been named in the side which will play one-off ODI against Scotland before they face stern Australia in 5-match ODI series at home.

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