Rory Burns is confident he has the mental strength to cope with the demands of Test cricket, from the spinning pitches in Sri Lanka to the pundits in the press box.
Burns may be a newcomer to the England set-up, having never made a squad before being asked to step into the considerable void left by Alastair Cook’s retirement, but he is far from a blushing rookie.
At 28 years old he is part of the furniture in Surrey’s star-studded dressing room, has passed 1,000 first-class runs in each of the past five seasons and arrived on tour as the captain of the newly-crowned county champions.
In many ways his call-up seems overdue, with 12 openers picked ahead of him in the fumbling – ultimately futile – search for Cook’s top-order partner.
But on Sunday, at Colombo’s Nondescripts Cricket Club, he enjoyed his first full net session with the senior side and will next week hope to nail down a place for the opening Test at Galle during a pair of two-day warm-ups.
He has limited experience in sub-continental conditions but will have to learn quickly if he gets the nod. Galle is known as a spinner’s paradise and Sri Lanka have been known to open up with slow bowlers at each end.
“I’ve never been here before. The furthest I’ve got is the UAE – Abu Dhabi and Dubai. But I think it’s well-documented that it’s going to be a trial by spin,” he said.
“It’s a little different in terms of conditions so it was good to have a proper hit in training and get used to them. It will be interesting.”
Tricky surfaces are not the only challenge in his new environment, with slow-motion cameras, global audiences and expert analysts – many of them distinguished former internationals – all part of the terrain at Test level.
Burns has spoken many times about his technique, one that includes a couple of unusual kinks but has led to a handsome record on the domestic circuit, and is prepared for others to join the conversation.
“I am expecting a certain level of media scrutiny but I’ll just try to be strong between my ears and go about my business as I have for Surrey,” he said.
“Probably the weight of runs I’ve scored in county cricket will help me do that as I’ve got that little bit of self-belief. It might get commented upon, I think it already has been, but it’s not going to change.
“I’m maybe a bit more ‘squat’ than most, but I’d say I’m fairly orthodox. I’ve explained a few times about how I’m left-eye dominant, it’s just a feel thing for me as I get prepared to face the ball.”
Cook’s emotional departure at the Oval last month did not only open up a gap at the top of the order, it also removed a mass of experience and leadership from the England party.
He took 12 years and 161 Tests worth of knowledge with him when he departed and skipper Joe Root may just find himself casting around for advice in the coming weeks.
Would Burns, as a trophy-winning leader himself, feel happy to chip in?
“As a captain I’m pretty open in terms of people coming up to me but at the same time I don’t want it to become an over-bearing thing,” he said.
“If I do get the opportunity to play and Joe does ask me what I think or I feel like I could add something, I probably won’t be backwards in going forwards to help him.”
