Having already shown he can be an integral part of England’s future T20 plans, new Yorkshire signing Dawid Malan is now hoping he can do the same in the one-day team.
Malan has travelled to South Africa for three one-day and as many T20 internationals between Tuesday (February 4) and February 16.
The left-handed batsman, 32, starred in the five-match T20 series in New Zealand through early November, scoring 11, 39, 55 and 103 not out in four appearances. Malan then impressed in domestic tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Bangladesh either side of Christmas and has been handed the chance to add to his solitary ODI appearance.
However, the ex-Middlesex man knows all too well that he has to be patient as he bids to break into a group which won the 50-over World Cup on home soil. This is that particular side’s first assignment since.
“Any time you’re part of an England squad, it’s a great opportunity and a fantastic honour,” he said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for me if I do play any games. Opportunities are few and far between in this white ball team because they have such a fantastic group of players who won the World Cup.
“I’ve done pretty well in one-day cricket domestically over the years, but I’m not sure whether I will get a game in that given the strength of that top four or five. But if I do get a chance, I have to make sure I take it.”
Malan’s career List A record is an impressive one, with 5,135 runs from 149 matches to his name, including five hundreds.
The obvious and understandable response of, “I’ll bat at eleven if it means I get a game” comes, though which position does he feel he would be most suited to in the batting order of England’s 50-over team?
“I’d say if you want to get the best out of me, it would be putting me in the top three in both formats,” he said. “That’s not to say I can’t bat at four, five or six. I’ve scored a T20 domestic hundred batting at six and did well in Bangladesh batting at four in a couple of games.
The next one-day World Cup will be played in India in 2023, but beforehand there are two T20 World Cups in Australia next winter and then also in India in 2021. Claiming silverware in each of those tournaments will be a significant challenge.
“It’s shown that in the last three 50-over World Cup the hosts (India 2011, Australia 2015 and England 2019) have won them, which makes it really tough to go overseas and win,” continued Malan.
“It is a particular challenge playing in India. They are so good at home, although a lot of teams are brought into the equation by the fact that their pitches are really good and the grounds are so small.
“It’s always a challenge going to play in different conditions, but that’s what I think this England white ball group has been so good at over the last four or five years – being able to adapt.”
