Nick Gubbins better prepared for England speculation ahead of Ashes tilt

The Middlesex opener admits he struggled to deal with speculation linking him with a Test call-up in 2016 - but continues to harbour hopes of an international bow

Nick Gubbins believes he is more able to cope with being touted for an England call-up.

The Middlesex left-hander first came onto the radar during the Championship-winning 2016 campaign, during which he averaged 61, capping his season with a century in the dramatic trophy-clinching finale against fellow contenders Yorkshire.

Just 22 and in what was his first year as a regular at the top of the order for the Lord’s tenants, Gubbins admits the whispers about an international call-up turned his head.

Whether or not that was the cue for a nosedive in form in 2017, where he averaged just 25, he couldn’t say.

But three years on Gubbins believes he’s matured sufficiently should such headlines arise again.

“People say the talk about England and me came too early and everyone was saying at the time ignore it ignore it, but as a 22-year-old it was impossible,” he said.

“So, it is about learning to cope with it and I think now at 25 I’ve had two years or more of having to deal with it.

“I guess as I mature and grow older, I like to think I’ve become better at dealing with things in life generally, be it talk of England or the boiler going in the house.

“It is impossible to say whether that has affected my form or not and you can’t really change what has happened. But a few years on and that bit older I think I am in a better position to deal with any chat like that thrown my way.

^{The last two seasons have been up and down for Gubbins}

“I guess it is a big learning experience you would rather have that learning experience than not.”

Ironically, Gubbins’ greater confidence at dealing with clamour surrounding England comes with him having plummeted down the pecking order.

There were signs of green shoots of recovery in 2018, especially early during an accomplished century against Sussex, but the steps forward were checked by a spate of lbws at the back end of the campaign.

The Richmond-born opener has been to school on his technique over the winter in a bid to rectify the fault, but at the same time has reflected on the spicy nature of the pitches in 2018 and the need to mentally cut himself a bit of slack.

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“It is very easy to solely blame yourself and there were a couple of technical things that I’ve worked on since, but it is also very important not to get too down in the bad times, which I may have done in 2017," added Gubbins.

“You have got to look at the conditions on very nippy wickets where for LBW’s bowlers just attack the stumps and so there are more of those decisions than normal.”

Given the continued uncertainty over England’s top order, especially in the wake of the series defeat in the West Indies, Gubbins’ professed new-found ability to block out the headlines could be tested sooner rather than later, especially in an Ashes year.

Current opening pair Rory Burns and Keaton Jennings still have work to do to cement their places for the first Test against the Aussies.

^{Neither Burns or Jennings are certain of an Ashes place}

Burns, so commanding in Surrey’s Division One winning side last term still needs a score or two to convince Ed Smith and company he is the long-term replacement for Sir Alastair Cook.

And Jennings produced little on the tour to quell thoughts his technique is too rigid against the best quicks, though he was recalled for the third Test in Saint Lucia.

Therefore, a few early season scores will inevitably see the noise around Gubbins crank up once more.

“It’s important when I and those other players (in the England frame) go out to bat, you don’t have that on your mind,” he added.

“So, I’m focused first and foremost on getting into Middlesex’s first team for this year because we have a strong line-up of batters and then it is about getting the lads off to good starts when I am playing.

“I think if I can refocus on that theme it will take the pressure off myself and all the other things that come with it.”

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