Despite playing a key role in winning the 2022 T20 World Cup and making 117 international appearances for England, allrounder Sam Curran has been left out in the cold by the national team since November last year.
Unlike many others who are sidelined from international cricket in their late 20s or 30s, Curran is just 26 and vying his trade in the International League T20 (ILT20) for Desert Vipers. The Chennai Super Kings man is still determined to make a national team return.
“There were loads of different reasons I didn’t get picked. More so the T20s, but I naturally felt I should have been in both teams. But they’ve obviously got their plans and you can look at the way they’re lining up now… The 50-over side is going to be similar to the T20 line-up, and they wanted the same structure of the top six,” Curran told ESPNCricinfo in an interview.
Curran also revealed the phone call he received from head coach Brendon McCullum who told what he needs to get back.
“He just said: ‘You’re not in right now, but go away, score runs and take wickets.’ I respected it a lot: sometimes you just get the easy: ‘It’s not the end.’ But it was pretty clear what they wanted me to do,” Curran revealed about the phone call.
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Reflecting on his World Cup in Australia, Curran said it feels like eons ago, where he was the Player of the Match in the final against Pakistan with 3-12 and Player of the Tournament with 13 wickets. Since then, England have gone through tough times having lost in the 2024 T20 World Cup semifinal followed by other series defeats. Recently, they succumbed to a 4-1 defeat in the series against India.
“There were some tough times for the team [after that]. It’s just been inconsistency, being in and out a lot of the time. That was the big message from above: go away and show consistency. I feel like hopefully I’ve done that, and will keep doing that,” Curran said.
Currently, Curran has scored 267 runs at a strike rate of 121 and picked up six wickets from 10 matches contributing to the Vipers’ run into the knockouts of this 2025 season. He still remains hopeful of a national callup as things are not that sunny in the national team.
“Everyone knows things can change quickly. I’m the type of guy that will go away and do well and improve. It was just a case of them going with the top six they want, and backing the five bowlers they’ve chosen. [McCullum] told me to keep banging the door down and I feel like I’ve come here and done pretty well. I’m in a good headspace,” Curran said.
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