London, May 9 (H.S.) : England's star batsman Jason Roy is once again ready to step into red-ball cricket. He has been included in Surrey's squad for the County Championship match against Warwickshire, scheduled this week at Edgbaston.

Return after four years, last played a red-ball match in 2020

34-year-old Roy has scored 9 centuries in 87 red-ball matches at an average of 36.46, with his best score being 143 (against Lancashire in 2015). However, he last played this format during the COVID-affected summer of 2020 in the Bob Willis Trophy against Hampshire.

Roy struggled in Tests

After playing a crucial role in England's victory in the 2019 World Cup, Roy was given a chance in the Test team. He played five Tests against Ireland and Australia but managed only 13.75 runs on average across eight innings. His technique failed against the Australian pace attack, and he was eventually dropped from the team.

Roy's return also reflects the decline in his T20 career. He was left out of the England team for the 2023 ODI World Cup held in India, and he was not selected for this year's IPL. He has withdrawn from the IPL in 2020, 2022, and 2024 for personal reasons. The last ODI he played was against Bangladesh in March 2023.

The Surrey team will have to cope with the absence of ECB-contracted players like Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith, and Gus Atkinson for this match, as they have been rested ahead of the upcoming Test against Zimbabwe. This has given Jason Roy the opportunity.

Currently, Surrey is in third place in the Division One table, while Warwickshire is in second and Nottinghamshire is at the top. Surrey gained momentum by defeating Somerset in three days last time. The team has been strengthened by its overseas players Nathan Smith and Curtis Patterson, and fast bowler Tom Lawes also returns to the team for the first time this season.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar