Twelve months ago, around the 2023 Christmas holiday, fast bowler Ollie Robinson had convinced himself his days representing England in international test cricket were over. While his national teammates were down in Australia battling for the Ashes, Robinson was on the outside, looking in, his name absent from England’s squad entirely.
What followed was a chain of events that would set the stage for one of the most dramatic test cricket comebacks in recent memory. After England finished the Ashes with a demoralizing 4-1 series defeat, the team’s management set out to reset their core squad ahead of the 2024 home season. Head coach Brendon McCullum reached out to Robinson with a game-changing message at the opening of the domestic campaign: the talented but polarizing paceman would get a second chance to earn his place back in the national side.
Robinson’s fall from the England setup just a year prior had not been for a lack of on-field performance. Across 20 test matches, he had already notched an impressive 76 wickets for his country. Instead, he was dropped in early 2024 over concerns about poor fitness standards and questions over his commitment to team-first values. Determined to prove his critics wrong, Robinson embraced a new leadership opportunity this year, taking over as captain of his county side Sussex. The role sparked a noticeable shift in his mindset and work ethic: through the ongoing County Championship, he has already claimed 18 wickets, putting in consistent match-winning performances that made him impossible for national selectors to ignore. When key pace options Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse were ruled out of England’s first home test against New Zealand, opening at Lord’s this Thursday, the spot opened back up for Robinson — and with it, a mountain of pressure to perform.
What happened next exceeded even the most optimistic expectations for Robinson’s return. Tasked with delivering the new ball for England, after the hosts had been bowled out for a underwhelming first innings total of just 140, Robinson delivered the most historic opening over of his career. He removed New Zealand’s star opener Devon Conway with his third delivery, followed by captain Kane Williamson with his fifth ball, and rising star Rachin Ravindra with his sixth. The three-wicket maiden over sent the packed Lord’s crowd into a frenzy, with supporters chanting Robinson’s name before he had even finished his first six deliveries of the match.
Speaking to reporters after the incredible over, Robinson admitted the pre-comeback nerves had left him almost unable to perform. “The first over I couldn’t feel my legs, I was so nervous,” he told the BBC. “To get the first wicket, the emotion coming was incredible.” Speaking to Sky Sports, he added: “It was so loud. I was in a bit of a daze and just trying to focus. The crowd were amazing, it’s one of the loudest I’ve heard them here.”
Robinson was open about the full shift in attitude that allowed him to earn his way back to the national side. “I was in a place where I never thought I’d play for England again,” he said. “To get the text from Baz (McCullum) shifted my mindset. To get back in the team, I knew the date of the first day of the test and there was a lot of work. I’ve tried my best to get back in the condition for today. I know there’s a lot of hard work ahead.”
By the close of play on day one, Robinson’s incredible form had only continued. He finished the day with unbeatable figures of 4 wickets for just 10 runs across six overs, three of which were maidens. New Zealand’s batting line-up was left reeling at 61 for 6, putting England firmly in control of the match at the end of the opening day.
Robinson’s stellar performance overshadowed another landmark comeback on the day. New Zealand pace bowler Kyle Jamieson, who was also making his return to test cricket after a career-threatening back injury, picked up an impressive five-wicket haul for 62 runs — his first five-wicket test haul in five years — and was on track to be the day’s standout player before Robinson’s historic opening over. Jamieson’s return came after three stress fractures in three seasons forced him into a year-long rehabilitation process, mirroring Robinson’s own journey back from the sidelines.
Giving credit to the opposing side after day one, Robinson noted: “They bowled so well, we knew we had to follow suit. Both teams hit the stumps a lot so credit to both teams. We’ve still got a job to do and mop them up in the morning.”