Dan Lawrence Reflects on Opportunity to Open for England in Tests

New Delhi, March 27 (NationPress) England batter Dan Lawrence expressed that it would have been quite foolish to decline the opportunity to open the batting for the team in Test matches, a position he had never occupied in his first-class career.

With Zak Crawley sidelined from England’s series against Sri Lanka due to a fractured finger, Lawrence, who was a reserve batter in the squad, was elevated to open the innings alongside Ben Duckett. However, Lawrence was unable to capitalize on this chance, scoring only 120 runs in six innings, which resulted in his exclusion from England’s tours to Pakistan and New Zealand.

"No, I disagree. I think I would have felt quite unfortunate had I not taken the opportunity to open the innings, given my time with the team. When someone asks, 'Would you like to open the batting for England?' I don’t view it as an unfair request. It’s a privilege and an exhilarating opportunity to seize," Lawrence remarked, as reported by ESPNCricinfo on Thursday.

"It didn’t work out, but had it done, who knows where I might be now? I’ve mentioned that if England requested me to bat at number 11, I would comply. Everyone dreams of representing England. Although it was a somewhat unfamiliar role for me, I was given the chance to play, and it would have been rather foolish to refuse it," he added.

When discussing his experience within the England setup under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, Lawrence said, "Baz and Stokesy manage the team excellently. There’s a fantastic balance between enjoying life away from cricket and focusing on the game when it’s time to play. You accomplish your tasks and have fun in the process. It’s a wonderful atmosphere, and given the results, something is evidently working."

Lawrence, now 27, concluded by stating that he still possesses the capability to represent England in both Test and white-ball formats, which is currently undergoing a transformation.

"I still have ambitions to achieve many things in cricket. I aim to play for England in white-ball formats, participate in the IPL, reclaim my Test position, and demonstrate to myself that I am a competent Test player. It’s a thrilling prospect," he added.

"Initially, breaking into the white-ball team was incredibly challenging, as it was a stellar side that consistently won. Now, there’s a chance for me to make my mark. There are exceptional players in the mix, but there’s no reason I can’t be part of that discussion."

"We also have an exciting summer ahead against India, followed by a thrilling winter with the Ashes. These two significant series have been building up for 18 months. I’m still hopeful that if I perform well and contribute with both bat and ball, I might secure a spot on the tour," he concluded.