Batty is so ready to roll back the years for England's cause

Chris Stocks speaks to Gareth Batty in Chittagong as the Surrey man gets ready for his second coming with England

At 39, Gareth Batty may be the oldest member of England’s squad by some distance, but the Surrey off-spinner-spinner sounds like a kid at Christmas as he talks about his belated international chance.

“This is brilliant to be a part of,” he says. “There’s a wonderful vibe about the place, I noticed that from stepping on the plane with a few of the Test boys, there’s a great camaraderie around the group.

“The hotel is magnificent, and the weather is warm, which is better than being cold.

“It’s a great privilege to be involved with it all, and hopefully I can add to that and do my bit.

“Winning’s a habit, it’s a culture. Watching from afar, this group of England players for a decent period have been quite magnificent. It’s a privilege to be involved with that, but it’s all about winning.”

The Yorkshireman was given his chance yesterday when he was named in England’s team for the series opener in Chittagong – his first Test in 11 years.

Batty won the last of his seven caps against Bangladesh at Durham in 2005, but he was recalled for this tour following a season for Surrey which saw him take 41 Championship wickets at 31.22.

Last summer was his 20th as a professional and Haseeb Hameed, the youngest member of England’s touring party at 19, was just four months old when Batty made his first-class debut in 1997.

However, being the senior citizen of this dressing-room – captain Alastair Cook is the next oldest player at 31 – does not bother him.