So far, from what we’ve seen of the McCullum and Stokes selection policy, recalls rarely happen.
Rests and injuries aside, there are clearly favourites who have been stuck to steadfastly through thick and thin - although most of them have been a success. Take Zak Crawley or Shoaib Bashir as examples of players who have thrived and been backed under the current leadership team despite arguably better options in the county circuit.
Culls from the side have also been features of the selection policy, former favourites under previous England sides have been cast off if an alternative who fits a certain style is uncovered. Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson have all had periods in Bazball sides but ultimately have been replaced by players who’ve been identified to be younger and more in keeping with the cricketing philosophy of the current management.
The recall of Jack Leach for the tour of Pakistan therefore marks himself as an outlier in this selection policy.
Since his injury during the India series earlier this year England saw both Shoaib Bashir and Tom Hartley press their cases as long-term options for the red ball set up with Bashir eventually winning out.
Much was made of Shoaib Bashir getting the nod over Leach upon the latter’s return from injury particularly with Leach keeping Bashir out of the Somerset side.
Bashir ultimately repaid the faith England showed in his ability and performed admirably this summer as the lead spin bowler. This success was despite having to go on a short-term loan to Worcestershire for game time in the lead up to the Tests once Somerset management had indicated that Leach was still their first choice spinner.
Clearly Bashir has settled in well with the England dressing room.
Leach therefore found himself somewhat outcast from the side. Unlikely to make it into the set up in other formats, the Somerset left-armer went back to doing what he’s always done - taking bags of wickets at Taunton.
Sparing any injuries, second spinners are rarely thought of over the course of an English summer. Even on a dusty, late August pitch, England are far more likely to just use more of Joe Root’s handy tweakers.
Most winters contain some Test cricket on the Indian subcontinent for England and so second spinners do end up coming into the reckoning but there was a lot of choice for this tour.
After all, during the tour of India at the beginning of the year, they used 4 front line spin bowlers over the 5 Tests. Whilst Bashir ended up taking the mantle over the summer, Tom Hartley, Rehan Ahmed and Jack Leach were all in the running for this tour of Pakistan.
Despite being the most experienced in the list, in a lot of ways selection was not in Leach’s favour.
The occasionally ruthless approach to recent selections has meant that experience has not always been valued over potential. Stokes and McCullum haven't been afraid of making unpopular decisions in their persuit to put their stamp on the side - just looks at James Anderson. Therefore Leach’s return to the squad came as a bit of a surprise.
Perhaps the only other time that England have gone for experience over potential in recent times was asking Moeen to come out of retirement. That was, however, under specific circumstances after another Leach injury and needing someone ready-to-go to jettison straight into an Ashes series. Moeen's selection also came with the news that the Ashes would be his final England Test outing.
Jonny Bairstow has seemingly out of contention for England under the current England set up
I wrote an article about Leach back in March questioning whether, after all of his recent injuries and setbacks, whether England would still look to the Taunton-born left-armer as a viable option.
The truth of the matter is that despite the fact that Jack Leach is unlikely to go too many games without some form of injury (particularly as he gets deeper into his 30s) Ben Stokes really values him.
Ever since their heroics at Headingley, Stokes and Leach clearly have a strong relationship and prior to the Ashes last summer, Leach was undoubtedly Stokes’ number one.
This was perhaps the reason why Stokes was willing to give Leach a recall where there have been others who haven’t been so lucky. Ultimately, Leach lost his place through injury rather than lack of form and perhaps without him regularly missing out, he’d still be England’s go-to spinner.
From the looks of the sides that England have selected this summer and to Pakistan, it doesn’t look as though the selection policy is likely to open the door again to the likes of Bairstow, Foakes or Robinson - Dan Lawrence also looks to have fallen in the pecking order too.
So Leach returning to the side seems to be an anomaly to prove the rule rather than Key, McCullum and Stokes becoming more lenient in their selection policy.
You would imagine there would be at least one wicket in Pakistan that suits spin and perhaps Leach will get an opportunity to add to his 126 wickets for England.
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