Crawley outlines Pietersen ambition as he eyes role in England World Cup defence
![Zak Crawley has only played three white-ball games for England, but hopes to be part of their 50-over World Cup defence later this year (Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)](/upload/news/2023/01/18/17338.jpg)
Zak Crawley has outlined his desire to become a regular for England in all three formats, admitting white-ball cricket "probably comes more naturally to me".
Crawley has been heavily backed by the Test setup, with head coach Brendon McCullum calling him a rare talent who will win games for England despite a middling record of 1,598 runs at an average of 28.53 after 57 innings.
And while Crawley says that red-ball cricket is his "priority" and "favourite format", he is also hoping to break into England's white-ball setup in a year which will see them defend the 50-over World Cup crown they won in 2019.
The 24-year-old has played just three white-ball games for England, having been drafted in for the ODI series against Pakistan in 2021 when they had to select an entirely new squad overnight due to a Covid outbreak.
"I massively want to get in that T20 and 50-overs side," Crawley told ESPNcricinfo, having impressed in his first overseas T20 franchise gig with the Hobart Hurricanes in Australia's Big Bash League.
![Ballance set to make Test return for Zimbabwe after Yorkshire racism scandal qhiqqxiuziqhinv](/upload/news/2023/02/01/89_m.jpg)
"I've always actually found white-ball probably comes more naturally to me, but the red-ball has always been my priority and has always been my favourite format. It's the most rewarding and, in my eyes, the pinnacle of the sport.
![Crawley outlines Pietersen ambition as he eyes role in England World Cup defence](https://i2-prod.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article27265390.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_GettyImages-107332719.jpg)
"Obviously it's going to be hard to compete with those white-ball guys. But I don't regret not playing more T20 cricket…because I'm where I want to be in terms of the Test stuff. But I feel like the blend is actually easier than people make out."
And Crawley is taking inspiration from former England captain Kevin Pietersen, adding: "I want to be remembered as someone [where people say] 'oh geez, Zak's coming in to bat now, I'm gonna go watch on the TV'.
"Or you know there was that line that all the bars were empty when Kevin Pietersen was batting. I just thought that was such a cool thing to say about someone when I was growing up and I thought, that's what I want."
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