Veteran Jamie Overton made his Test debut for England back in 2022, but he hasn’t been able to find his place back in the Test setup since then. For him, the past year has been tough for him to return as well. Missing out on last year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup due to an injury that has lent Overton a fresh perspective, and he is now keen on making the most of his career, trying to seal a spot in the Test squad for the Ashes later this year as well.

“I am in a better place now for being injured. It actually gave me time to reassess what I need to do with my health,” Overton told ESPNcricinfo. “Ashes cricket is probably the pinnacle for English players, and I feel like I’ve got a decent record on Australian pitches. It probably suits my game more than wickets back in England – but I’m not expecting anything.”

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Overton, however, added that vying for a spot in the Ben Stokes-led England Test side will take some tough task as well.

“I need to play red-ball cricket to give myself a chance of being there, so we’ll just see where we get to when I’m back home. I bowled ten overs in the Afghanistan game [at the Champions Trophy], but I’ve not bowled more than that in a day since last April. It’s going to take a lot to get the body back to those bowling workloads, and we’ll just see where we go and play it by ear. It’s a short career, so you’ve got to maximise it while keeping your body in a good place,” he further added.

However, Jamie Overton was part of the England squad during this year’s ICC Champions Trophy, where they were knocked out of the group stage without a win from their three games as well.