Looking back at the year that Gus Atkinson made a stunning start to his Test career, it is unsurprising that a solitary appearance in the Hundred does not immediately spring to mind.
The England seamer earned a Test debut against West Indies a year ago. By the end of the match he had 12 wickets to his name. Fast forward to the end of 2024 and he had taken 52 scalps, more than any other England players in the calendar year. There was also a Test hundred at Lord's for good measure.
In amongst that, Atkinson's Oval Invincibles team-mates defended their Hundred title. The 27-year-old's contribution amounted to ten balls bowled in the final group-stage match, but the international calendar this year offers a window for a more significant role.
“Last year I only got to play one game, which was a shame," Atkinson tells Standard Sport.
“Obviously this year I’ve been injured for two months. Things might have been different if I’d played all five Tests, there might have been a chance that England pulled me out of the Hundred.
“But playing the one Test and then some white-ball cricket is exciting.
“Getting the chance to play for the two-time winners and trying to win that third one on the bounce will be good.”
Atkinson's opening Hundred match will be his first white-ball appearance since an ODI against India in February. He was named in the England squad for the subsequent Champions Trophy but did not feature in a disastrous campaign.
“I felt like I wasn’t really prepared well for that series, I hadn’t played much white-ball cricket at all," Atkinson said. “Red ball has been my priority in the last year or so."
That will change over the coming weeks when Atkinson lines up for the Oval Invincibles. It is once again an incredibly strong side, with Rashid Khan a "very cool" addition to a squad already containing the likes of Sam Curran, Sam Billings and Will Jacks.
Atkinson is ready to play his part after returning to fitness. His flying start to life in the Test arena was halted by a hamstring injury picked up against Zimbabwe this summer.
England have been cautious over his recovery and Atkinson had to wait until the fifth and final Test of the India series to make his return. Eight wickets on his home ground, including 5/33 in the first innings, was a swift reminder of what he brings to the attack.
“It was frustrating," Atkinson says of the hamstring injury. "I had the India series very much on my mind leading into the summer.
“I’ve never really had a muscle injury like that before. It came as a bit of a surprise. I was out fielding with my injury and it was definitely worse than we thought it was going to be.
“We thought it might be a few days of resting. We didn’t think it would be this long.
“It’s been quite frustrating, especially because I’ve been able to bowl. I bowled in Leeds for the first Test off a full run-up but not quite at 100 per cent."
Efforts to build up his match fitness involved an outing for club side Spencer in Surrey Cricket Championship Premier Division. What did he sense the Sunbury batters were feeling as he marked out his run-up?
Atkinson graciously points out his figures of 0/36 from his eight overs. “I didn’t take any wickets or anything!
“They’re still good players. Cricket is one of those sports where it’s small margins between being right at the top and a club player."
Following the epic drawn Test series against India, England have white-ball fixtures against South Africa, Ireland and New Zealand before the spotlight shifts firmly to the Ashes at the end of the year.
Despite having now taken 63 Test wickets at 22.01, Atkinson still feels he has something to prove when asked how much of a target being in the side for that first Test in Perth in November is.
After a lengthy pause, he responds: “It’s difficult. People on the outside would say I haven’t been tested much in Test cricket.
“You’ve got Australia and you’ve got India as the two big series. That’s why it’s disappointing to miss so much of the series this summer.
“I think if I can get a good block of cricket now leading up to Australia - there’s no red-ball cricket now before that series so it’s important that I play a lot of white-ball games."
Atkinson spent a season in Australia playing grade cricket when he finished school but is set for a slightly more high-profile experience this winter.
He could have a crucial role in a series that will define the Ben Stokes-Brendon McCullum era, and Atkinson is determined to play his part in ensuring the history books are kind.
“I love playing under Stokesy as a captain," he says.
"I don’t know what it is, but he just makes you want to do well and put in big performances. He gets that out of players. You want to run through a brick wall for him basically.”
This will be the first time since the 2002/03 Ashes series that England have travelled to Australia without James Anderson or Stuart Broad in their ranks.
There is a largely settled top seven in the batting line-up but the bowling attack is far more uncertain. England will hope to have Jofra Archer and Mark Wood fit, while the likes of Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue have featured prominently this summer.
Atkinson could not have done more to push his case over the past 12 months and is confident England's seamers, whoever they are, can take the wickets to secure only a second series win in Australia in nearly 40 years.
“You could say we’ve got inexperienced bowlers, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all," Atkinson says.
"Going out there with no expectations, we’re all really excited and looking forward to the challenge.
“Different sorts of bowlers to Jimmy and Broad. Slightly more hit-the-deck bowlers, which has worked in Australia in the past.
“It will be a challenge but I think we’ve got a good group of lads who are eager to go out there and impress.”
