Image source, ShutterstockImage caption, Ollie Robinson's last Test for England was away to India in March 2024
ByAdam Lanigan, BBC Sport England and Adrian Harms, BBC Radio Sussex cricket commentator- Published1 hour ago
A new season of county cricket is almost upon us, and the opening weeks of 2026 offer hope and opportunity to prospective England Test players that have not existed in recent years.
Old faces and new kids on the block can all feel that an April and May stacked with runs or wickets could lead to a June of Test match cricket.
One player who falls into the category of old faces is Ollie Robinson. A key bowler in the early stages of the Bazball years, Robinson has not been seen in a Test since March 2024.
His ability for the big stage was never in question, but fitness and disciplinary issues have dogged his career.
Now at 32, the talented seam bowler is ready to take on the added responsibility of captaining Sussex in red-ball cricket.
If successful in that role as a bowler and a leader, will it unlock the door to a return to the England team this summer?
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Ollie Robinson performed a key role with the ball in England's 3-0 series win in Pakistan in 2022
Robinson's last Test was the fourth Test of the tour to India in 2024, which England lost 4-1.
He suffered a back strain while batting in the first innings and only managed 13 overs at reduced pace as England lost that match by five wickets.
However, that was his only appearance on that tour, as questions over conditioning and a podcast he was doing with his girlfriend Mia, now wife, led to suggestions of unease with England's management.
He has not been seen in the Test arena in the last two years, with the likes of Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse getting the nod to state their cases in the build-up to and during the Ashes in the winter.
Over the last two county summers, Robinson has claimed an identical 39 wickets in each, averaging in the mid-twenties, but well below the 74 and 63 he claimed in 2018 and 2019 that first highlighted him on the county scene as a bowler of high class and not enough to force a conversation about any possible return.
But here is a bowler who averaged 21.33, troubling all of India's top-order batters during the home series in 2021 and showing real skill in unfriendly seam-bowling conditions during England's brilliant 3-0 series win in Pakistan the following year.
'Last roll of the dice'
While England's bowlers were struggling for consistency in the heat of the Ashes during the winter, Robinson was also in Australia.
He headed to Sydney to play grade cricket for Sydney University to stay sharp and get overs in his legs. He even had a spell of bowling in the nets to Australia great Steve Smith ahead of a New South Wales game.
It is all part of his efforts to regain his England spot, which require him taking a bagful of wickets in early summer before the hierarchy decides on which bowlers to settle on with a view towards the home Ashes series next summer.
Robinson says that he has had conversations with England managing director Rob Key and head coach Brendon McCullum since he last played about his prospects of a return.
But unlike Liam Livingstone and Jonny Bairstow, who have criticised a lack of clarity and care since they last played in the England set-up, Robinson says he has been given a clear message of what is required - take wickets, bowl lots of overs and stay fit.
Now it is a case of putting all that together as he challenges himself to play all 14 Championship games in 2026.
"It's been eating away at me for a year, 18 months that I haven't been able to get back in," he said.
"I had an OK season last year but not as good as I would have hoped. I would have loved to have knocked that door down and taken 50 or 60 wickets, but I didn't do that.
"Going to Australia before Christmas was purely to get myself in a better place, bowl more overs and train with different people.
"All of that is about making myself better for Sussex, and hopefully for England again.
"I'm 32 now; it's sort of the last roll of the dice. I would love to play for England again; I'd love to help Stokesy win games of cricket for England."
'You always talk as a bowling unit'
During the Ashes in Australia, England's bowling attack was crying out for discipline and leadership, as they strained under the pressure Down Under.
No Jimmy Anderson, no Stuart Broad, no Chris Woakes. It left a vacuum of experience with nobody other than captain Ben Stokes to talk fellow bowlers through plans to opposing batters or field settings, placing even more pressure on the all-rounder's shoulders.
However, that is an area that Robinson feels confident in. As he prepares to resume the extra responsibility that comes with leading a side, he feels that he has always been an attack leader.
"You're always trying to help your quartet of bowlers," he said. "You're always talking as a four and talking about fields and ideas to get players out.
"Half of that is captaincy anyway. All bowlers talk about fields and do those things.
"I've watched cricket my whole life, so I've got ideas on how to get players out or what fields might be good for different players, or quirky stuff sometimes."
England bowlers in numbers
Ollie Robinson - 20 Tests; 76 wickets - average 22.92
Gus Atkinson - 16 Tests; 69 wickets - average 24.21
Jofra Archer - 18 Tests; 60 wickets - average 30.10
Brydon Carse - 14 Tests; 58 wickets - average 30.18
Josh Tongue - 9 Tests; 49 wickets - average 26.36
Matthew Potts - 11 Tests; 36 wickets - average 33.36
Sam Cook - 1 Test; 1 wicket - average 119.00
A Stokes-like influence for Sussex?
Robinson takes over at Sussex in an interesting period. John Simpson is moving to a wider role of club captain after leading them to the Division Two title in 2024 and a strong fourth place on their return to the top division last year.
But the winter has seen the club rocked by financial problems, so much so that they have been handed a 12-point penalty to start the 2026 season.
It promises to be challenging, but for head coach Paul Farbrace, Robinson will tackle it head-on.
As his stepfather, Farbrace knows him intimately as a cricketer and a person. That leads him to think that the role could bring the best out of the new Sussex skipper.
While having worked for many years within the England set-up, Farbrace even likens the situation with that of Robinson to captain Ben Stokes.
"There are two parts with Oliver," said Farbrace.
"One, he's got a fantastic cricket brain and a lot of knowledge, and he has captained at various stages. But I also want to get the best out of him, and I think the more responsibility you give him, the more you get out of him.
"I remember saying that about Stokesy. When I moved him up to bat at six, he was obviously the all-rounder; his job was to field wherever he thought the ball was going.
"The more responsibility you give him, the more you get out of him, and it's the same with Oliver."
Image source, ShutterstockImage caption, Paul Farbrace was part of the England coaching set-up between 2015 and 2018
'Good enough for four more years'
As someone used to being in and around the international game, Farbrace has a feel for what is required to be successful.
He believes that Robinson has not reached that level in the last year, but there is nothing stopping the bowler from making a big impact in 2026.
"Oliver hasn't been the bowler we'd have liked to have been, taking loads of wickets in the last 12, 15 months," he said.
"But if he's serious about getting back with England, he's got a massive opportunity to get back into that team.
"He's still young enough to play another four years of Test cricket at least.
"If he really wants to do it, we'll benefit out there because he'll be taking wickets for us and England will have a decision to make."
Only time will tell, but Robinson must put his plan into action with Sussex, starting away to Leicestershire on Good Friday.
