With a crucial Ashes series against Australia looming this winter, the spotlight is turning to a new generation of English fast bowlers, and none more so than the rapidly-rising Sonny Baker.
The 22-year-old paceman, who has been in sensational form across all formats this summer, is now being touted by former England captains like Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain as a potential "bolter" for the Test squad.
Baker's star has risen at an astonishing rate.
Having made his first-class debut on an England Lions tour of Australia at the start of the year, he earned a development central contract from the ECB in February.
He then caught the attention of everyone with a standout performance in the ongoing Hundred competition for the Manchester Originals.
In a recent match, Baker delivered a blistering spell that troubled seasoned international batters like David Warner and Kane Williamson, with Nasser Hussain commenting that he "gave David Warner the hurry up."
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The pace bowler's latest heroics saw him take a sensational hat-trick, becoming only the fourth male bowler in the competition's history to do so.
His final figures of 3 for 21 were instrumental in Manchester Originals securing a dominant victory.
Baker's playing style is perfectly suited to the aggressive "Bazball" philosophy.
He is a genuine quick, regularly clocked around the 90mph mark, but as Hussain noted, "he does seem to feel a bit quicker."
His ability to generate sharp, skiddy pace and extract bounce makes him a handful for any top-order batter.
He also possesses a competitive streak that has seen him thrive under pressure, a trait that would appeal to captain Ben Stokes.
While his white-ball heroics have earned him his maiden England senior call-up for the upcoming ODI and T20I series, pundits are now speculating about his red-ball potential.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, Michael Atherton said: "He's quite lively and skiddy and sharp... he could be a bit of a bolter for the winter."
However, Nasser Hussain has also cautioned that Baker's transition to Test cricket would be a significant step up.
"My only issue is I've not seen him enough in long-form cricket to know what will his third, fourth spell be like, how does he come back the next day?"
Despite these questions, Baker's trajectory is undeniable.
After a move from Somerset to Hampshire to get more first-class game time, he has taken 19 wickets in six County Championship appearances this season.
With the Ashes on the horizon and an England team always on the lookout for fresh, fast talent, Sonny Baker is now a name firmly on the selectors' radar.
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