sport news England's re-called batsman Keaton Jennings insists he returns as a 'different ... trends now
Keaton Jennings is not your ordinary Test cricketer. He has two degrees and as many Test match centuries but over the next few weeks, the focus will be on adding to the latter in Pakistan.
After a summer where Jennings finished as top-scorer in Division One of the County Championship, with 1,233 runs for Lancashire and five centuries at an average of 72.52, the 30-year-old was recalled for England’s three-match Test series which begins next week.
‘A few days before it was announced, I was doing the washing up and missed a call from a +64 number. So the first thing I did was go on Google and find out what country it was.
It was New Zealand and as I suspected, it was Baz McCullum. He told me I was going, what he wanted, that I had the backing and that was that,’ Jennings tells Sportsmail.
Keaton Jennings has been re-called by England to feature in upcoming series against Pakistan
Jennings last played for England against the West Indies in a test series during 2019
The left-hander, who was born in Johannesburg, made a century on his Test debut in India in 2016 but all in all, endured a scarring time opening the batting, averaging just over 25 from his 17 Tests.
An average of 16.65 against pace did him no favours. He was dropped from the set-up on two separate occasions and after getting a recall in 2020, his hopes were shattered after England’s tour to Sri Lanka was cancelled due to the pandemic.
The 30-year-old starred for Lancashire last season
So what has changed since then? There is a shift in technique from a previously stiff method to an approach where Jennings has dropped the position of his hands - after seeing an Instagram clip of Matthew Hayden - that has seen him increase his hand speed and flow more fluently.
But perhaps more importantly, it’s a change in outlook mentally from someone who suffered from the effects of the game to enjoying the game.
‘I’ve learnt how to accept it when you’re on the other side. When I last played, my numbers weren’t good enough and it took me a while to come to terms.
Now I’ve made peace with the fact that I don’t necessarily need to play for England again to prove a point to anyone’ says Jennings as he makes his way to Heathrow Airport for England’s flight to the UAE. England will spend a week in Abu Dhabi before heading to Pakistan.
Jennings adds, ’I’ve been content over the last couple of years, in a position of happiness and a position where I’m proud of myself and I’ve just loved playing cricket again. I know what to expect now.
It’s the smallest things like bringing my coffee machine that make me feel comfortable. I’m a different person to who I was three or four years ago.’
In the summer of 2018, Jennings averaged 19 and failed to make a 50 across six Tests but England stuck by him for the Sri Lanka tour. He went on and hit 146* in the first Test in Galle.
