Ollie Robinson “thought about retirement” after he got injured

• Sussex’s Ollie Robinson has won two of three Tests against Pakistan.
• In the second Test at Multan, he bowled Pakistan’s captain and batting prodigy Babar Azam twice.
• His 62.1 overs have not let batsmen off the hook, which is encouraging.

Ollie Robinson is feeling confident after winning the first two Tests of the series against Pakistan and setting a new record in the process.

He “only” had eight wickets in four innings, but they have come at an average of 18.37, reducing his overall Test figure to 19.61 after 13 appearances. In the second Test at Multan, he bowled Pakistan’s captain and batting prodigy Babar Azam twice. His 62.1 overs have not let batsmen off the hook, which is encouraging. Robinson said he pondered retiring in the summer following a difficult road to recovery.

Robinson’s back concerns prevented him from playing in the three-Test Caribbean series that followed a disappointing winter tour of Australia. In 2022, he missed cricket with Sussex and the first four Tests under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum due to back and dental issues.

Robinson’s subsequent losses prompted a pile-on from people who felt a lack of work ethic was behind his absences. Robinson believes his problems were just bad timing for a 28-year-old trying to get fitter. Robinson opened up on Thursday in Karachi before the third Test, which begins on Saturday, about a dark time when he considered leaving the game and moving into property.

Robinson’s back difficulties were particularly aggravating and showed no signs of abating even as he focused on rehabilitation and strengthening. The problem was hard to diagnose because the spasms came and went at random, just as he was about to return to competition.

“I had scans. MRIs/X-rays. “Wear and tear,” he remarked. Every time I returned to full fitness, the inflammation was still there. Again, I got a back spasm. Five injections reduced the inflammation and let me train harder. The storm subsided. It was strange since it felt career-ending.

“Things change fast. It’s hard to see in gloomy places. If this happens again, I know I can still fight and bowl well.”

He’s lucky to survive. England, too. Robinson returned to the Test side for the second match against South Africa at Emirates Old Trafford and has produced 20 dismissals at 16.35. He passed 50 Test wickets in his 11th Test, the joint-fastest by an England bowler since Ian Botham in 1978. At 29, he’s in it for the long haul as an England new-ball bowler.

In Stuart Broad’s absence after the birth of his first child, Robinson’s partnership with Anderson has proved key for England. His skills have not been dulled by an older ball, and he has been able to work to atypical ideas, such as striking the pitch on a shorter length and using surface skid to smash off stump.

No skillful application is a coincidence. It’s a prize for adopting his neighbours’ lifestyle.

“I’ve altered my workouts and training. “I’m training harder,” he remarked. “Stokesy’s training shows how intense some people train. I’ve gotten close. Jimmy’s played 20 years. I admire and respect him.

Robinson’s on-field performances have been outstanding, but test cricket has presented several problems. His debut against New Zealand was eventful when offensive tweets surfaced hours after he received his first cap at Lord’s.

Now, he’s focused on sealing England’s second clean sweep in Asia after beating Sri Lanka 3-0 in 2018.

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