World Twenty20: Craig Kieswetter relishing England call-up after 'surprise' chance to replace injured Luke Wright
Kieswetter was batting in a pre-season warm-up match for Somerset when the call came that he was needed in Bangladesh
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Your support makes all the difference.Craig Kieswetter is ready to do whatever he can to help England's World Twenty20 campaign after swapping chilly Taunton for Chittagong.
Kieswetter was batting for Somerset in a pre-season warm-up match against Worcestershire when he was informed he had been summoned to Bangladesh as a replacement for the injured Luke Wright.
He landed on Monday morning and is in contention to give the side another six-hitting option should coach Ashley Giles choose to change an XI that was controversially beaten by New Zealand in a rain-affected opener.
Kieswetter last played for England in the format 18 months ago - at the previous World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka - and was not anticipating a return to the fold this week.
"It was a definite surprise to the call-up, I was busy playing a warm-up against Worcestershire and was batting at the time," he explained.
"It's certainly a different climate here, the first thing I had to do was throw the hand-warmers out of the bag and put the cool stuff in.
"But it's always great to get the call, I've been out for 12 months or more so to be back, I'm delighted.
"First and foremost the most important thing is to be involved again, to be around the team is always a good thing.
"I've got a couple of practice sessions before the next game so I'll do as well as I can to put my hat in the ring."
Kieswetter, who had been courted by his native South Africa as a youngster, enjoyed something of a dream start to his England career - scoring a one-day century on just his third appearance before playing a key role in the team's surprise T20 win in the Caribbean four years ago.
A chronic loss of form led to former Somerset team-mate Jos Buttler and Yorkshire's Jonny Bairstow overtaking him in the wicketkeeper-batsman stakes, but he feels a dip was inevitable after his heady beginning.
"I think being thrust in at such a young age as I was, there would always be rough patches," he said.
"I had to find a way to deal with that, go away and work at aspects I needed to improve and I feel I've worked pretty hard these last 12 months or so.
"So to be back is quite a special thing and shows the work I'm doing is paying off."
England's next Super 10 match against Sri Lanka takes place in Chittagong on Thursday.
PA
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