If, as expected, Dawid Malan is handed the pivotal No 3 role in England’s batting order for the third Test against India at Headingley that starts on Wednesday it will be one of the toughest challenges of his career.
The 33-year-old has established himself in England’s T20 side since he played the last of his 15 Tests – also against India – in August 2018. Still ranked the No 1 batsman in the world in the shortest format, Malan at least should feel more comfortable on the international stage than he did three years ago.
However, despite returning to the Test arena on his home ground of Headingley, the Yorkshire batsman, who moved from Middlesex two years ago, will be afforded few home comforts from a relentless India pace attack that ran through England’s brittle batting lineup to seal a thrilling final-day win in the second Test at Lord’s.
Malan’s cause will not be helped…
