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Former England batsman Mark Butcher is disappointment over the exclusion of fast bowler Ollie Robinson from the Test squad. Butcher believes that the team management, particularly head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, have lost faith in Robinson's abilities.
Ollie Robinson's omission from England Test squad raises eyebrows
Robinson, once touted as a potential successor to James Anderson, has experienced a significant decline in his career. Since last year, he has struggled to find form and has faced criticism for both his poor performance and lack of pace.
Robinson's most recent appearance for England came in the Test series against India. Despite being included in the squad, he only played one match and failed to make a significant impact. Robinson's wicketless performance and high economy rate contributed to his omission from subsequent matches.
Robinson has been notably absent from the England squad throughout the home summer, missing all six matches. His exclusion has extended to the upcoming tour of Pakistan, which is surprising considering his impressive performance during his last visit to the country. Robinson claimed nine wickets at an average of 21.22, showcasing his effectiveness in Pakistani conditions.
Mark Butcher, commenting on Robinson's omission, believes that his skills and form are not the primary reasons behind his exclusion. Instead, Butcher suggests that a breakdown of trust between the fast bowler and the team management may be the underlying factor. In an interview with Wisden, Butcher said:
"I don't think there's any denying his [Robinson's] skill as a bowler, and I'm pretty sure that is not the reason why he's on the outside at the moment. I think there's been a breakdown in trust between him and the management. From what I've heard and what I think I know, the covenant of trust between those guys and the player has broken down almost irretrievably," Butcher said.
Mark Butcher on Ollie Robinson's trust issues
Mark Butcher has highlighted that England players are often given a significant amount of freedom by the team management. However, he believes that Ollie Robinson has breached this trust on multiple occasions. Butcher further elaborated on this point.
"The management would lay the blame at his door firmly; he might have a riposte to that, but that is it. There are no denying the numbers or the skill he has. But the England players are given quite a lot of leeway in terms of the trust they are given by management, and I think he's broken that once too many for [Brendon] McCullum and [Ben] Stokes and therefore finds himself on the outer," he added.
The 30-year-old England star has made a solid contribution to England's Test team. Robinson has scalped 76 wickets at an average of 22.92 in 20 matches, which includes three impressive five-wicket hauls.
England Test squad for Test series vs Pakistan:
Ben Stokes (c), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.
