England outcast Alex Hales could be offered an olive branch by the national side for the first time in two years after national selector Ed Smith signalled a softening in approach to the batsman.

Hales has not played for his country since being ejected from the squad on the eve of the 2019 World Cup, with captain Eoin Morgan saying the 32-year-old had lost the trust of his team-mates following a failed drug test.

There has been no thawing in relations in the intervening period but, although Hales was once again overlooked for the 16-strong group that will take on India in five Twenty20s in Ahmedabad next month, there was a suggestion from Smith that things could soon change.

With Hales’ form easily good enough to warrant attention having just finished as the top scorer in Australia’s Big Bash, a partial return to the fold is being pondered in the coming months.

Asked directly about Hales, Smith said: “It’s coming up for two years. In the English summer we’ll look at inviting some people to training in the run-up to series as we look to extend and expand our squad and the relationships within.

“We’re always looking at ways to consider getting players who aren’t currently in the actual squad to come along to training days, perhaps in the run-up to a series.

“We’re very aware of everything players do in franchise cricket around the world and I think that is something we will discuss and look at moving forward, with what’s best for England cricket.”

Morgan, in his powerful position as a World Cup-winning captain, has been characterised as the main blockade to a Hales recall and Smith would not be drawn on whether that remained the case.

“I don’t know,” he said.

“I just think it’s something we might consider. It’s the kind of thing we do from time to time and we’re open to doing that in the English summer.”

“But, that said, Joe has an incredibly busy year coming up and it’s also the case that England have won seven out of the last eight T20 series, with the eighth being a draw.

“He knows he has a lot of demands on his energy and his resources in Test cricket, where he is the leader and central to our success.

“He knows if he doesn’t play in that T20 World Cup – and no decision has been made because he might come back in – it shows how strong a position English cricket is in.”

England T20 squad: E Morgan (c) M Ali, J Archer, J Bairstow, S Billings, J Buttler (wkt), S Curran, T Curran, C Jordan, L Livingstone, D Malan, A Rashid, J Roy, B Stokes, R Topley, M Wood. Reserves: J Ball, M Parkinson.