When Jamie Overton announced on Monday that he is taking an indefinite break from first-class cricket to focus on the white-ball formats, it caught the England management and supporters on the hop. A common reflex was to view it as the latest blow to Test cricket at large.
After all, Overton played in England’s most recent Test – the epic six-run defeat against India – and by all accounts was going to be selected among the pool of fast bowlers for the Ashes moonshot this winter. Aged 31, the chance to go on such a high profile tour is unlikely to come around again.
