Gareth Batty hopeful of making impact on England return for Test series in Bangladesh
Friday 14 October 2016 11:33, UK
Gareth Batty insists he is not with England to make up the numbers in Bangladesh, despite admitting he thought his international career was over.
The 39-year-old off-spinner has 11 Test wickets to his name and made his last Test appearance in 2005 - against Bangladesh - but finds himself back in the international fold after an impressive season for Surrey as he took 41 wickets.
Batty is the oldest player in Alastair Cook's squad by seven years and is more than double the age of Lancashire teenager Haseeb Hameed, but if England opt for three spinners for the first Test in Chittagong, he could find himself alongside Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid in the starting XI.
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Asked whether he thought his chance to play for England would come again, he replied: "No.
"I'll just do whatever I possibly can for the group and we'll see where we get," he said.
"There are some fantastic players out here. I'm no different to anyone else, I have some hard work to do to push my cause, and what will be will be. It's great to have the opportunity - it's up to me to try to grab it."
Batty, who played seven Tests between October 2003 and June 2005, three of which were against Bangladesh, is relishing being a part of a new group.
"There's a wonderful vibe about the place, I noticed that from stepping on the plane with a few of the Test boys; there's a great camaraderie around the group," he added.
"It's a great privilege to be involved with and hopefully I can add to that and do my bit.
"I have a rough idea how I want to go about my business and it's up to me to get it right."
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