Phil Salt the new England opener smashed his maiden ODI fifty in the second match against Pakistan at Lord’s and helped the hosts go 2-0 up and pocketed the series as well. The right-hander revealed that he could have very well played for the West Indies.
Though Salt was born in Wales, his family moved to Barbados when he was 10 and went onto represent the Barbados Under-15 side and was rumored to be close to selection for the Under-19s before committing his future to Sussex.
"Yes, I was available for selection for the Barbados Under-19 team. I qualified through citizenship. I'd lived there for X amount of years which made me eligible. I played Under-15 but never any further.
I was born in North Wales but my dad was a property developer out there [in the Caribbean]. I spent six years there and then came over to the UK to go to boarding school. I was at school in Surrey and was sort of on the fringes of Surrey. But Sussex saw me play and gave me an opportunity,” Salt told ESPNCricinfo.
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Salt had been dismissed for a single-digit score in his first ODI, but in the second match, he took his time in the middle after England lost Dawid Malan and Zak Crawley for ducks.
"You know, coming in, you have to try and play that role as best you can. There was a moment where I did question what to do next: whether to consolidate or take the game on and try and give us the impetus back. Right from the very start, coming into the England set-up, it is something that Morgan has always been crystal clear on: we take the game on; we take the positive option.
It's pretty simple: my job is to get the boys off to a flier. It doesn't mean it's all big shots: a good ball is still a good ball and you have to play it with respect. But if you get any width or any length I am definitely looking to jump all over that,” he said.
Salt credited county cricket for the England team’s success, but gave special mention to England players’ experience of playing in foreign T20 leagues of playing under pressure and in front of large crowds has also contributed to them adapting to the standards required in international cricket.
Talking about his future, given that Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy are certain to return to the team when available, Salt said future opportunities could be scarce.
"I'd love to play for England for as long as I possibly can. Obviously, we're on the best side in the world. So, it's a tough one to break into. I've not got any sort of route into the side planned out in my head. It’s about taking every opportunity that I can with both hands. And that's as simple as it gets really. I'm not going to be looking too far ahead," he signed off.
(ESPNCricinfo inputs)
