England selector Ed Smith indicates Alex Hales could be given a lifeline

England outcast Alex Hales could be offered a lifeline in the summer, as national selector Ed Smith has indicated about inviting the player to train with England probables in the future.

The top-order batsman didn't find a place in the upcoming five-match T20I series against India. The 32-year-old last played for England in a T20I in March 2019.

Alex Hales finished as the top scorer in the recently-concluded BBL, something that has raised hopes of his comeback in England's T20I setup. Ed Smith has now indicated that England Cricket's stance towards the opening batsman might be softening.

"What I can say is that maybe in the English summer, we are always looking for ways to consider players who aren't currently in the actual squad to come along to training days, perhaps in the run-up to a series. We might look at something like that in the summer (for Hales) and something we might consider with people who are good cricketers but just outside the actual squad at the moment. Something we do from time to time when there's an opportunity to keep growing and expanding that group of players." said Ed Smith.

Pwoah, Alex Hales is in a mood tonight! 21 runs from the over if you don't mind 😳 #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/PKc5ZYxhti

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 13, 2021

In BBL 10, Alex Hales amassed 543 runs in 15 matches at an average of 38.79, doing so at an impressive strike-rate of 161.6. The opener registered three fifties and a century to guide the Sydney Thunder to the BBL playoffs.

Why was Alex Hales made an outcast?

Alex Hales was dropped from England's squad for the 2019 ODI World Cup after he was found positive of twice using recreational drugs.

Skipper Eoin Morgan was apparently unhappy with the incident in the lead-up to the World Cup, and said that the opener had lost his trust.

"Unfortunately, Alex's actions have shown complete disregard for those (team) values. This has created a lack of trust between Alex and the team." Morgan said on the incident.

Since then, Alex Hales has not played international white-ball cricket. Many experts feel that as long as Eoin Morgan is the captain, the Sydney Thunder batsman could find it difficult to make a comeback the English team.

However, after the recent observations of England national selector Ed Smith, there may be some change in stance. But only time will tell whether Alex Hales will be back in England's setup or not.

Alex Hales brings up fifty the only way he knows how...with a big six! #BBL10 pic.twitter.com/ji77V8Wh1t

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 22, 2021