Alex Hales still wants to be an England opener for all occasions, and is confident he can adapt successfully in all formats.
His brilliant white-ball batting was not enough to avoid England's agonising 3-2 one-day international series defeat to South Africa, after the hosts recovered from 2-0 down over the past week.
England were bowled out, despite Hales’ century, in only 45 overs of Sunday’s Cape Town decider and were then unsurprisingly unable to defend 236.
After that chastening outcome, some will doubtless call for Eoin Morgan’s limited-overs team to temper their adventure when conditions dictate – as they did, perhaps, on a taxing surface at Newlands.
Hales, meanwhile, must work out why he was unable to make more than 136 runs at an average of 17 in his maiden Test series here yet has since passed 50 in all five ODIs – culminating with a century at Newlands.
He said: “I was disappointed not to score anywhere near the number of runs I’d have liked (in the Tests).
“I hope they stick with me a bit.
“I’d love to get another crack at it and show people I can play.”
He will do things differently if he is, as seems likely, granted a second chance initially against Sri Lanka next summer.
“I didn’t feel out of my depth at all,” he said. “I guess I kept getting myself out, soft dismissals, mainly outside off stump.
“It’s something I’ll have to go away and work on ... and I do feel ready for the challenge.
“I think maybe I got caught in two minds, whether to attack or defend, and that was probably my downfall.
“I was just disappointed I went away from my gameplan a little bit during the Tests.”
Before then, of course, Hales will be in his more accustomed role as England try to extend a six-match Twenty20 winning streak – stretching back to September 2014, and including a 3-0 series success over Pakistan in the UAE.
He has already banked a Twenty20 hundred, against Sri Lanka in Chittagong in the previous global tournament two years ago, and senses he just might be able to double up soon.
“I feel in good enough touch,” he said. “The pitches we play on out here should lead to some high-scoring games.
“So if I get myself in, I hope I can go big.”
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