Phil Salt nonetheless has ‘ambition’ of breaking into England’s Test workforce as white-ball star insists he ‘may do a job’ for his nation in longest format

Phil Salt has outlined his ambition to break into England’s Test team as selectors prepare to pick their squad for next month’s tour of New Zealand.

The 28-year-old opens the batting for England in one-day and T20 cricket, as well as regularly keeping wicket.

The white-ball star was overlooked in favour of Jamie Smith when a new gloveman was chosen for the Test side at the start of the summer.

But Salt has not given up hope of playing the longest format for England, even though he has not appeared in a red-ball match since last year.

Asked by Mail Sport if he was still targeting a Test call-up, he said: ‘Yes, definitely. It’s going to be hard for me now because I am not going to get chance to play a block of red-ball cricket. I can’t go and score a volume of red-ball runs.

England white-ball star Phil Salt has outlined his ambition to break into his country’s Test team

‘But I can’t affect the scheduling. The ambition is still there and hopefully that door is not shut on me just yet. I am an aggressive player and I feel like I could do a job. We will only know if and when that opportunity comes.’

The opportunity could come in New Zealand, where Smith is due to miss the second and third Tests to be at home for the birth of his first child. Jordan Cox, who is the back-up wicketkeeper in Pakistan, is set to take Smith’s place, but England may opt to select another stumper as cover when they name their squad for New Zealand following the match in Rawalpindi.

Salt’s next engagement is England’s white-ball tour of West Indies, which starts on Thursday week, before he plays for Team Abu Dhabi in the Abu Dhabi T10 from November 21 to December 2. England’s first Test against New Zealand is on November 27, with the second starting on December 5.

Salt was unlucky to miss out to Smith when England were choosing a replacement for Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes at the start of the summer, having averaged 43 in both the 2022 and 2023 County Championship seasons. But speaking at the launch of cinch’s new store in Manchester, he said: ‘Jamie has been brilliant. He has taken to Test cricket like a fish to water.

‘I am really pleased for him. I am not the type of guy to be going round saying, “That should be my spot”. He is a fair bit younger than me, but it looks like he has already played 30 to 40 games at that level.’

The 28-year-old opens the batting for England in both one-day and T20 cricket 

For now, Salt’s full focus is on the tour of the Caribbean and further nailing down his opening spot in both of England’s white-ball sides. ‘I am not going to start looking ahead to away Ashes tours when I have not even made my Test debut,’ insisted Salt, who could open in the West Indies with the uncapped Michael Pepper in a dream partnership for pun writers.

‘I keep my goals very short term. I am thinking of doing well in the next game and the next series and keep it going like that. The moment you start thinking, “I am here, I won’t be moved” in elite sport, that’s when you can let complacency creep in.’

Salt captained England in place of the injured Jos Buttler in the T20 series against Australia, which they drew 1-1, but Liam Livingstone has been given the armband for the ODIs in the West Indies.

‘It was a massive honour to captain my country and I felt like it brought the best out of me in more ways than just batting and keeping,’ said Salt. ‘It gave me a lot more clarity on my team-mates, knowing who I could turn to in different moments. I really enjoyed it.’

Salt has not given up hope of playing the longest format for England in the future 

The Caribbean tour will see Salt return to Barbados, where he lived between the ages of nine and 15 when his father, a property developer, moved there for work. He played age-group cricket with pace bowler Jofra Archer, who is back playing for England after his injury troubles.

‘When he is fit and firing like he has been in the past few weeks, there is nobody out there that can live with him,’ added Salt. ‘He is the best I have played with and against by some distance with what he does.

‘He is a massive weapon for English cricket. I am just glad to see him back playing and staying injury free.’