Alex Hales may return to England squad for T20 World Cup - Reports

Hales, who has not featured in national colours since returning positive in a recreational drugs test in 2019, may replace Jonny Bairstow, who picked up an injury while playing golf last week.

FILE PHOTO: England’s Alex Hales during a nets session in 2018. | Photo Credit: ED SYKES

Opening batter Alex Hales looks set to return to the England squad ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, according to multiple English news outlets.

Hales, who has not featured in national colours since returning positive in a recreational drugs test in 2019, may replace Jonny Bairstow, who picked up an injury while playing golf last week.

Hales, who has just gone past 10,000 runs in Twenty20 cricket, had lost the trust of former captain Eoin Morgan. However, the latter’s retirement in April may have finally opened up doors for the right-handed batter with wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler having taken over the responsibility of leading the limited-overs side.

“I think he (Hales) has done his time,” Rob Key, the managing director of England men’s cricket had told The Guardian in April. It only remains to be seen if Key actually does announce Hales’ name as the official replacement for Bairstow later this week.