England captain Alastair Cook believes that Jonathan Trott is mentally ready to make a return to international cricket following a 17-month absence.
The 33-year-old, who left the 2013-14 Ashes tour early due to a stress-related condition, is likely to play against a St Kitts & Nevis Invitation XI in a two-day match which gets underway on Monday.
It will be Trott's first piece of action with England since his high-profile departure from the camp in November 2013 and, while Cook has backed his teammate to shine, he admits that nothing is certain until the Warwickshire batsman is thrown in at the deep end.
Asked if he was confident Trott is mentally ready, Cook is quoted by The Guardian as saying: "I am. You don't know 100% until he's put out in the environment – that is always unknown.
"There's a lot of things about selection that are unknown until you're put into the pressure cooker of international cricket and make no mistake, it's a high-intensity environment – there's no doubt about that.
"On a personal level to see him back in an England shirt from where he was in Brisbane in 2013 after the effort he has put in – a lot off the field as well as on it – is great. He has almost demanded selection and it's great for me to see him back in an England shirt."
Trott is expected to open with Cook at the top of England's batting order for the upcoming three-Test series against West Indies.
Daniel Lewis
