Mason Crane admits he is "buzzing" to find himself back in the England fold nearly a decade after his initial international breakthrough, as the leg-spinner prepares to make the most of a long-awaited second chance at the highest level.
Crane was first capped as a 20-year-old nine years ago, with his third and final appearance coming during his Test debut in the closing match of England’s difficult 2017/18 Ashes tour in Sydney. During that outing, he claimed a single wicket as the tourists ultimately suffered a 4-0 series defeat.
Speaking to the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, the 29-year-old confessed that he had grown entirely accustomed to the idea that his international career was finished, only for a surprise call-up for England’s upcoming ODI tri-series in Pakistan to breathe new life into his representative ambitions.
"I didn’t really expect it, to be honest," Crane said of his selection. "It was a bit out of the blue. But it’s really cool and I’m buzzing."
Reflecting on the long years between appearances, Crane acknowledged that the journey had its dark patches. For a long time, the weight of expectation proved heavy, and the enjoyment he once felt simply playing the game began to fade.
"I think there was a period a few years ago where I was sort of resigned to the fact it may not come again, where I maybe put a bit too much pressure on myself and wasn’t particularly enjoying it," he explained. "But the last couple of years I feel like I’ve sort of got that spark back and the ambition that comes with it."
Following his introduction to international cricket in 2017, Crane’s momentum was severely disrupted. Injuries completely derailed his 2018 domestic season, and he subsequently struggled to cement a regular, defining role within the Hampshire bowling attack. However, a crucial career move to Glamorgan ahead of the 2024 season proved to be the turning point that completely altered his trajectory.
At Glamorgan, Crane thrived under the guidance of head coach Richard Dawson. Dawson has recently departed county cricket to join the England men’s red-ball coaching setup as an assistant to newly appointed head coach Stephen Fleming, taking with him a reputation for demanding excellence from his players.
"Daws is a brilliant coach. He’s been absolutely amazing for us," Crane said of his former county mentor. "He has very high standards; he pushes you to become the best version of yourself, and we all sort of thrived off that."
While Glamorgan would undoubtedly have preferred to retain their influential coach, Crane noted that success of Dawson’s caliber invariably attracts international interest.
"From a Glamorgan point of view, we’d obviously rather have kept him. But when you have someone like Daws as your coach, if we’re being brutally honest, I think you know at some point that he’s going to go on to international cricket," Crane said. "He’s such a brilliant manager of people. He’ll be amazing in any role he does. It’s amazing for England. And like I said, I’m sure one day he will be in a position to take over an international side. He’s that kind of calibre of coach."
Crane on batting form – ‘My confidence just grew and grew’
While Crane’s return to the national squad is naturally underpinned by his ability with the ball, his selection is equally a testament to a dramatic and unexpected upswing in his batting capabilities.
During the recent domestic campaign, Crane achieved a major milestone by striking his maiden first-class century. He quickly followed that up with a second, helping Glamorgan secure a respectable sixth-place finish in their first season back in Division One of the County Championship since 2005.
"I’ve always believed I underperformed a bit with the bat," Crane reflected. "When I moved to Glamorgan and started playing a lot more regularly, I kind of realised I had a few more shots. My confidence just grew and grew. And then this year, to get a few big scores has been amazing."
Crucially, the leg-spinner believes that his contributions with the bat have indirectly elevated his primary discipline. By proving himself as a reliable lower-order batter, he has secured regular selection in matches where his bowling alone might not have guaranteed him a spot in the starting XI.
"Ironically, that’s helped my bowling because I’m now bowling in matches where I probably wouldn’t be playing in to start with," he noted.
The numbers from the 2026 domestic season highlight a busy and productive year across formats. Crane claimed 34 wickets across 14 County Championship appearances, alongside 15 wickets in 10 Vitality Blast outings. He also featured three times for London Spirit in The Hundred, picking up two wickets.
A handful of his dismissals during the county season naturally caught the attention of digital audiences, going viral on social media platforms. In particular, his wickets of Yorkshire batters George Hill and James Wharton during an eight-wicket match haul in April drew widespread praise online. However, Crane is keen to distance himself from the transient nature of internet fame.
"I don’t want to just be a highlights reel bowler, every now and then bowl a really good ball and just live off that," Crane stated firmly. "I pride myself on trying to play to the situations really, trying to work out how I’m going to get the most out of a wicket and get a particular guy out."
Emphasising the evolution of his craft, he added that he has given himself greater tactical freedom at the crease while sharpening his execution.
"I’ve also given myself a bit more freedom, I guess, with the ball now. I try and bowl more variations, but I’m also better at bowling them now. It’s about sort of adding as many strings to your bow. It’s really important."
England’s upcoming ODI tri-series in Pakistan is scheduled to take place between October 18 and October 31, with all matches broadcast live across UK and Ireland platforms.
Comments (0)