It was a surreal feeling watching Graham Onions and Tim Bresnan take the new ball yesterday. I've worked incredibly hard over the past few years to get to the point where I'm on top of my game and able to consider myself a regular fixture in this England attack, so being left out is frustrating.
I was disappointed when I was told of the decision last weekend, although after a phone call from coach Andy Flower and a longer conversation with him at Edgbaston yesterday, I am now at least able to see both sides of the coin. It's a tough call to make for a head coach but he's made it for the best interests of the team.
Andy doesn't make the schedule and he can only control what he can control, and that is the workload of his players.
Andy made the point that when you go to watch Manchester United you are not always guaranteed to see Rooney or Giggs play because, with the congested schedules, they need to be managed. It's unfortunate, but it's a reality of modern sport.
I see that, but I also very much doubt there will ever be a day when I'll be happy not to play a Test match for my country. If I'm fit to play I want to play every game. I'm sure Andy understands that as well.
You only had to look at Stuart Broad's reaction to being left out yesterday to realise how much it means to us to pull on an England shirt.
Tough call: England coach Andy FlowerWith so many good players waiting in line it's understandable if Broady and I feel threatened when we're not playing.
It was fantastic to see Onions back playing yesterday after the best part of two years out of the side.
He's a high-class bowler who is averaging 12 with the ball in county cricket this season, so it was no surprise to see him bowl well, while the likes of Chris Tremlett and Steve Finn just add to the depth we have in the bowling department.
I'd like to think that having been rested from this game, I'll be back in the one-day squad.
ECB's decision on KP was rightI was shocked to hear of Kevin Pietersen's decision to retire from one-day cricket, although it's a decision you have to respect because only he knows how his body feels and how motivated he is.
KP (pictured right) is a huge loss to the team because he's such a talented player and he's going to leave some pretty huge shoes to fill for whoever replaces him.
I know he wanted to carry on playing Twenty20 cricket but it is in our contract that, if you quit one form of limited overs cricket, you cannot play in the other.
Problems would arise if you started making exceptions for one individual, no matter how talented, and I respect the ECB's decision to stand firm.
More... Onions pick of the bunch but off-colour England left to rue dropped catches England v West Indies - the action on day three of the third Test at Edgbaston as it happened
