Sam Billings outlines Test ambitions after answering England’s Ashes SOS call

Sam Billings is keen to become a regular in England’s Test team after making his debut in the final Ashes Test.

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Sam Billings became England ‘s 700th Test player when he was drafted in for the final Ashes Test as an injury replacement for Jos Buttler.

Billings was an unlikely beneficiary after both Buttler and Jonny Bairstow were ruled out of the Test, with the Kent captain already in Australia playing for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash.

The 30-year-old acquitted himself well on debut and he is keen to nail down his spot as a Test regular, having been a fringe member of England’s white-ball team for many years.

“This is a really interesting time for me as a cricketer,” Billings said. “I feel like, especially with the form I’ve shown in the Big Bash and in the last couple of years for Kent, I’m playing my best cricket.

“Moving forward I’ve just got to play. I can’t be sat on the bench. I’ve done enough time doing that. I feel like I can offer a lot, whether it’s with the red ball or the white ball.

“I’ve been in and around all the different environments and been a great squad player and actually done pretty well when I’ve stepped in. But that clarity is a huge thing for me, moving forward.

“From a Test point of view, I really want to give it a real good crack. But the problem is I don’t know what’s going on.

“I’m not centrally contracted, I’ve never been centrally contracted, so it’s very hard to get that clarity as a player for myself.

“Central contracts give that clarity to your schedule – what you can do for the year. I’ve never had that but that’s the challenge now.”

Just six days after being involved in the final Ashes Test, Billings played against the West Indies in the first T20I of England’s five-match series.

“I got a plane from Hobart to Sydney, Sydney to LA, LA to Miami and then Miami down to here,” he said.

“I’ve tried to work out how long it took about four times. The amazing thing was because of the time difference, I took off at 11am on the 18th and I landed in LA at 8am the same day.

“I’d been on a plane for 15 hours. How that works is remarkable but I barely know what day it is.”