If Ollie Robinson feared he would never play Test cricket again, then he'd have given no thought to ever reaching 100 wickets in the format.
Seemingly marooned on 76 after playing the last of 20 Tests in Ranchi back in February 2024, a reluctant olive branch came from England's selectors at the start of the summer for the New Zealand series. By the end of Pakistan's visit, he has used it to scale previously unpromised heights.
At the start of his fourth Test of the summer, having played under two different captains and two different coaches, Robinson became the seventh-fastest to reach a century of wickets in terms of balls bowled. The formality completed in the third over of this Edgbaston Test; Robinson's 10th delivery jagging in from around the wicket and ploughing into Saim Ayub's back leg.
Robinson became only the third English seamer to bring up three figures at an average of less than 20, which now sits at 19.10 following 3 for 15 from 11 overs. Another set of remarkable figures to fell an unremarkable Pakistan, this time rolled for 133.
All Test cricket is equal. But, from a seamer's perspective, it doesn't get easier than this; operating on nipping surfaces against a batting line-up averaging under 42 overs per innings. Even on what looked the best batting surface of the summer, England won the toss and bowled under heavy clouds to eke out as much of the moisture there was in the pitch before finishing day one leading by 23 for the loss of four.
Whatever historic brilliance Robinson has achieved comes with depressing modern-day context provided by a Pakistan side hamstrung by a lack of both talent and sensible administration. He will be the first to tell you he has not done all that much, and yet these dismissals have come easier than ever. The final quarter to 100 features among 26 dismissals at 7.96 this summer.
Looking at the breakdown of his career wickets, the chunks of 25 became progressively harder to take. The reasons for those are varied and, yet, one of the same; sporadic appearances, a loss of incisiveness and, ultimately, trust. Robinson was dropped after pulling up with back issues in three Tests - Hobart 2022, Headingley 2023 and Ranchi 2024 - each marking a break in his international career. England's reticence to re-select him since was strong, only broken when Australia broke them.
"I wouldn't say I've changed too much," Robinson said at Lord's after the second Test against Pakistan, in which he bagged a third Player-of-the-Match award in as many Test appearances.
He says he has never been fitter, but neither his one-off Test against New Zealand nor these five innings against Pakistan have needed him to show it. Across them all, his average pace is 78.4mph, a good four short of the ideal operating speed preached to him by former captain Ben Stokes and former head coach Brendon McCullum. Here, a seven-over spell was followed by a single over before lunch all of 55 minutes later. He resumed the second session with a three-over spell, starting with his third and final wicket after three balls.
As well as not bending his back, Robinson has not even needed to reach into his bag of tricks. He referred to consistency of line and length as a super strength, which is a bit like someone saying their best trait is punctuality. When it comes to bowling in Test cricket, consistency is just good manners. Flanked by the awkward high speeds of Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue, who combined for seven wickets on Wednesday, and a luckless Gus Atkinson, Robinson is the shirt-and-tie Avenger.
You could argue Robinson's meaningful development has come without the ball in hand. During his returning Test against New Zealand at Lord's, he was the one paying close attention to England's first innings of 140. From the TV in the home dressing room, he clocked that the pitch suited wobble seam over pushing for swing or expansive movement off the surface.
Little did he or any of us know at the time that wobble would be the order for the rest of the summer. Even Tongue, by no means a regular proponent of the delivery, was able to use it to dismiss Saud Shakeel, the only Pakistan batter of substance. Tongue credited Robinson for helping him hone that trick to suit his action from beyond the perpendicular. In this instance, the ball decked into the left-hander to uproot off stump, instead of seaming away as Tongue usually does when around the wicket.
"I've spoken to Robbo quite a bit about it," said Tongue. "He's unbelievable at that and he showed that throughout the series. I've been speaking to him quite a bit about it during the last couple of tests. And I just tried a couple of things in training the other day. So that was the first time I bowled it in the game and it got me a wicket, so I'll be using it again.
"He's been unbelievable, the whole series. It's always nice as a first-change bowler, when they're four down ready... and I feel like the bowler I am, I can sort of attack more."
It's a nugget that underlines Robinson's role as leader of the attack. That seniority has been particularly evident in the field, now taking it upon himself to direct traffic.
Usually in the field at mid-on, alongside Joe Root at mid-off, he has been advising the skipper and, occasionally, making shifts to the field. Sometimes on behalf of the bowler, other times when he feels an angle has not been covered accordingly.
When Razaullah was struck on the hand the over before lunch, Root immediately made his way over to Robinson, who had come up from fine leg, to discuss how the remaining deliveries might play out. The field was changed immediately on Robinson's say-so, with square leg pushed out to feign a bumper ploy.
That Root is consulting Robinson is only a good thing. The more players in the dressing room able to share the burdens of captaincy, the easier and more fruitful Root's second stint will be. And the more time he will have to rectify an lbw issue that reared its head again for the 10th time in his last 13 dismissals.
The heavy Pakistan tax on this series means every England positive must be couched, including Robinson's success upon his return and the acceleration to 100 Test wickets.
It may only be at the start of next summer, following tours of South Africa and Bangladesh, that true judgements can be made. Maybe even only after the Ashes. But that does not mean Robinson should not be celebrated here and now, nor that England should not be optimistic for the tougher challenges that lie ahead.