The 25-year-old's place in the squad has been the subject of consistent and intense focus over the past year, following several modest spells with the bat
Zak Crawley says he does not care about the public criticism of his ongoing selection in England's Test squad.
Crawley, who averages 27.6 from 61 Test innings, has once again been called up by England ahead of the clash with Ireland at Lord's from June 1.
The 25-year-old's place in the squad has been the subject of consistent and intense focus over the past year, following several modest spells with the bat.
Head coach Brendon McCullum, captain Ben Stokes and managing director of England men's cricket Rob Key have regularly explained how Crawley's selection relates to his capacity to influence a game, rather than a specific run of scores.
And on Tuesday, Key doubled down on that point as he outlined why Crawley continues to receive the backing of the team's management.
"We're not so much down the road of averages and pure stats," Key said. "It's about how do you impact games of cricket.
England batsman Zak Crawley [Getty Images]
"There are moments in games where that opening partnership was match defining. Against India, where him and Alex Lees put on a partnership that helped Jonny and Joe [Root] chase the rest of the score down, that opening stand was part of a match-winning performance."
That has not been well received by some supporters, who see Crawley as having been given special treatment.
The Kent batsman does not have social media profiles, so has avoided much of the criticism. And he is only focusing on his own game ahead of a busy summer which includes the centrepiece Ashes series against Australia.
"A lot of people talk about scoring hundreds all of the time in cricket. I am coming to believe that is nonsense"
"[Being off] social media helps me get away from the average punter and what they have to say which, of course, I don't care anyway," he told BBC Sport.
Crawley has racked up 350 County Championship runs for Kent so far in 2023, with nearly half coming in a single innings against Essex.
He will open the batting alongside Ben Duckett for England this summer, and the pair will be tasked with dealing with Australia's fearsome seam attack of Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc.
Zak Crawley is bowled during England's Test series in New Zealand in 2023 [Getty Images]
"My failings in international cricket have been from putting too much pressure on myself. That is the only reason. Whenever I have gone out there with the right attitude I have done well," said Crawley.
"I have done a lot of thinking about my game, especially in the last couple of months. I look back at times I have played well and I take the expectation away from myself and I just try and play.
"A lot of people talk about scoring hundreds all of the time in cricket. I am coming to believe that is nonsense.
"I just want to go out there and play well and the score will come after that."
England included Chris Woakes and Matthew Potts in their 15-man squad for the Ireland Test, when it was announced on Tuesday.
Jonny Bairstow returns after recovering from a broken leg, but there is no place for Ben Foakes. Jofra Archer, meanwhile, has been ruled out of action for the entire English summer because of a stress fracture in his elbow.
Ollie Pope is the new full-time England Test vice-captain.
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