Wright happy with T20 path

Luke Wright believes his decision to swap his Test ambitions for a globe-trotting Twenty20 calendar have been key to his England comeback.

Sussex all-rounder Wright was once considered a potential successor to Andrew Flintoff as a seam-bowling all-rounder but despite appearing in Test squads and touring parties, a five-day career never materialised.

A more natural one-day cricketer, Wright was regularly picked for England's ODI and T20 teams after his 2007 debut but found himself shifted up and down the batting order as he searched for a role.

In 2011 he played just seven times for his country, with form and fitness - in the shape of a serious knee injury - going against him, and his international future appeared to be in some doubt.

The 27-year-old responded by making the brave decision to sideline his hopes of a Test cap and build his short-form credentials with stints in the Indian Premier League and Australia's Big Bash.

A headline-making 44-ball hundred for Melbourne Stars in the latter earlier this year put him firmly back on the radar and he was recalled to bat at number three in the recent World Twenty20.

England failed to defend their title but Wright was an unequivocal success story, with memorable knocks of 99 not out and 76 in a productive tournament.

He believes his decision to expand his horizons was essential to that return to form.

"After I injured my knee last year the Big Bash offer came about and it was a great opportunity because it wasn't too much cricket, so it made the perfect comeback," he told Press Association Sport.

"Luckily I did well out there and more opportunities have come about for me.

"My priority is playing for England but I'm not involved in Test cricket and I'm fortunate that I can travel around the world playing different competitions.

"It's not what I planned but it has worked out nicely for me.

"You can't put a price on playing in these places and sharing a dressing room with some of the best Australians and South Africans around.

"You get to watch the way they play, the way they train and do things differently and, being an overseas player, the pressure is really on you to score runs and win games."

Wright may be an unabashed advocate of the path he has taken, but he concedes that it was only a lack of suitability for the Test arena that forced him to take the decision.

He also advised the likes of Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler - both exciting one-day batsman capable of earning huge T20 paydays in the future - to do all they can to play at the highest level for their country.

"It was tough because Tests were always the pinnacle for me," he added.

"You get to the stage when you think maybe you're just not quite good enough. I had some good performances for Sussex but I wasn't pushing in the way you need to be to play Tests.

"But I was in the one-day side and with playing that a lot I probably let my four-day game slip.

"I'm at a time in my career when I wouldn't change anything but I would say to any young player to aim for Test cricket.

"Jonny Bairstow has already showed how good a player he is and he's shown technique-wise that he can play Test cricket.

"It's the same with Jos, they both have the talent."