How long ago it now seems when Jonathan Trott stepped into an Ashes-deciding Test on his debut and, seemingly oblivious to the highly pressurised situation at The Oval, scored a century to help England reclaim the precious urn.
That dream first appearance in 2009 was the start of five years of almost unbroken success for Trott, who answered any doubts about his ability at the highest level by becoming one of the best batsmen in the world in both Test and one-day cricket.
Yet the effort and sheer determination to get there have clearly taken a heavy toll on a man who has become a popular member of the England dressing room and there will be great sadness today at the news that he has had to step away from the game again because of his continued problems with anxiety.
Congratulations: Andrew Strauss presents Jonathan Trott with his first England cap before the vital fifth Ashes Test at The Oval in 2009
Not quite made it: Trott is run out in his first innings as an England batsman
In the running: Trott's second-innings hundred at The Oval marked his arrival on the international scene
Hero: Trott celebrates his debut ton in the second innings which helped England to an Ashes series win
Sadness but little surprise because, in truth, Trott’s stated hope in his heart-wrenching Sky interview that he could force his way back into the England team for their international against Scotland next month was always a forlorn one.
England were never going to rush Trott back under the international microscope on the back of a few county appearances for Warwickshire because they wanted to be convinced he had fully recovered from the condition that forced him home in traumatic circumstances following the first Test in Brisbane.
He would almost certainly not have played for England this summer but, if everything had gone well at Warwickshire, they could have considered whether he was fit enough to return to Australia for next year’s World Cup.
Now that wait to welcome back such a key performer will go on indefinitely and the ECB might wish to ponder the wisdom of forcing their players into the back-to-back Ashes series that epitomised the modern day’s crazy scheduling. There will be other victims of the relentless programming unless something gives.
Pair of Bears: Trott (right) and Warwickshire team-mate Ian Bell celebrate Ashes success in 2009
Down: Trott (right) and Graeme Swann on the floor in 2010 after South Africa's Graeme Smith was dropped
Trademark shot: Bowlers know if they stray on to Trott's pads they are likely to be hit for four through the leg side
Perfect partners: Trott salutes a ton at The Gabba in 2010 and embraces Alastair Cook (right) on his 200
Name up in lights: The scoreboard evidence of Trott and Cook's monumental partnership at The Gabba
TROTT'S INTERNATIONAL CAREER
Test record
Played: 49. Runs: 3,763. Average: 46.45. 100s: 9. 50s: 18. Highest score: 226
(He has scored most Test runs without ever hitting a six)
ODIs
Played: 68. Runs: 2,819. Average: 51.25. 100s: 4. 50s. 22. Highest score: 137
Twenty20s
Played: 7. Runs 138. Average: 23. 50s: 1. Highest score 51.
Andy Flower, who ultimately took the decision to send Trott home from Australia, was aware of the batsman’s issues from the day he took over as team director in 2009 and had successfully managed them until last winter.
Trott will want this to be a temporary setback, a mere delay to his eventual return to where he has looked so comfortable and at ease for the bulk of his international career — in the middle churning out runs for England.
And it would be premature to say that this is definitely the end for him because England will give a batsman good enough to average 46 in Test cricket and 51 in one-day internationals every chance to prove that he can come again.
Centurions: Trott (left), Cook (centre) and Strauss celebrate their feat after the Brisbane Test in 2010
Honoured: Trott (right) with the ICC Cricketer of the Year Award in 2011
Sweeping statement: The No 3 launches a shot against Sri Lanka in 2011
Looking back in anger: Things started to go wrong for Trott in last summer's Ashes, in which he struggled
After all, if he had broken a thumb in
Brisbane and returned home then he would have been considered for
England again as soon as it had healed.
Why, in these enlightened times, should it be any different once he has recovered from a mental problem?
The only thing was that, in this instance and with the benefit of knowing what we know now, he had clearly not recovered. Not by a long stretch.
If this does prove the end for Trott, who will be 33 next Tuesday, as an England player then he can look back with pride at all he has achieved for the land of his father after making his life in Birmingham rather than his native Cape Town.
It turned
out England were absolutely right to throw that debutant in at The Oval
in 2009 rather than go back, as was being advocated at the time, to a
tried and tested player like Mark Ramprakash in the heat of an Ashes
battle.
Trott withstood that heat until the furnace of Brisbane and Mitchell Johnson eventually consumed him. It would take a heart of stone not to hope that his renewed absence from the game turns out to be a short one.
Going home: Jonathan Trott decided to return to England after playing in the first Test of the winter Ashes against Australia
Soul searching: There is no schedule for Trott's return date as he attempts to get over his latest anxiety issues
Aborted comeback: Trott played twice for Warwickshire on his return but has now taken another break
THE FALL OF AN ENGLAND STALWART
Nov 21, 2013: The first Test in Brisbane begins. Trott scores only 19 in two innings, falling both times to Australia left-arm speedster Mitchell Johnson (right).
Nov 25, 2013: Quits the Ashes tour. England insist his departure is down to a stress-related illness. Trott says: ‘I don’t feel it is right that I’m playing knowing that I’m not 100 per cent and I cannot currently operate at the level I have done in the past.’
Mar 6, 2014: Trott announces he is ready to return to action and targets Warwickshire’s pre-season friendly against Gloucestershire as well as an England recall. He also insists he was suffering from burnout and not a stress-related illness in Australia. Trott says: ‘I was getting headaches and all sorts of things and I wasn’t eating properly towards the end, and that’s when the sleep started getting disrupted and emotionally that was probably when I was worst and it just boiled over.’
Apr 1, 2014: Plays for the first time but scores only four against Gloucestershire before falling to left-arm quick David Payne.
Apr 8, 2014: Makes first-class comeback against Oxford MCCU, making eight before losing his wicket to teenager Sam Weller.
Apr 13, 2014: Starts his Championship season with 37 and 26 in Warwickshire’s defeat by Sussex. Chris Jordan (left) has him caught in the second innings.
April 17, 2014: Reveals to Sportsmail that he is taking an indefinite break from cricket.
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