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After overcoming an unseemly off-field controversy, Ollie Robinson is enjoying an absolutely outstanding summer for the England Test match side.
Following his successful debut, which saw Robinson take seven wickets across two innings as well as contribute a vital score of 42 with the bat against New Zealand, he was suspended from all forms of international cricket following allegations of sexist and racist tweets posted by him in 2012 and 2013.
There was a danger that Ollie Robinson's international career could be over before it properly began, such was the seriousness of the allegations. However, following an investigation, he was only given a suspension and a fine.
Since being restored to the England team for the first Test against India, Ollie Robinson has been nothing short of outstanding, with two five-wicket hauls to his name.
After just four Test matches Ollie Robinson now has a total of 23 wickets at an extraordinary average of 17.65 and looks completely at home at the very top of the game.
As well as being a key player for England now, Ollie Robinson is easing some pressure on the powers that be that will eventually have to find long-term replacements for James Anderson and Stuart Board who are approaching the final years of their careers.
England's bowling stock has been extremely fragile in recent years with Joffra Archer, Mark Wood and Chris Woakes all suffering long periods out of the game with injury.
Anderson and Broad have largely bucked this trend and managed to maintain their fitness, though Anderson did miss most of the 2019 Ashes with a niggling calf problem, while Broad is missing the India series after picking up an injury during the first Test match.
Robinson looks like he was built to play Test cricket. A strong, imposing physique is matched by an unerring consistency which has drawn comparisons with his idol, the great Glenn McGrath.
To put it simply, when Anderson and Broad eventually do call it a day England are going to need a new leader to front their bowling attack, Robinson might be the one the team turns to.
He looks like a bowler who always wants to take responsibility and his relentless consistency is ideal for knocking over tailenders, though it was bizarrely lacking from England's dismal defeat in the second Test.
The way Robinson has come back from the controversy that blighted his debut for the England Test team highlights his strength of character and his growing maturity. This is evident in the calibre of wickets he takes with scalps such as Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli already claimed by him, highlighting that Robinson has the skills to trouble the very best players in the world game.
Ollie Robinson is an absolute certainty to be on the plane to Australia for the Ashes and England will need him to be at his very best if they are to have any chance of reclaiming the famous urn.
Whatever happens, the one thing that is certain is that Ollie Robinson is destined for a long and successful career at international level.
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