Six months on, Salt returns to Barbados as one of England’s key men, the batter tasked with giving England a rapid start.

He has risen to second in the International Cricket Council’s batting rankings and in December made consecutive hundreds against West Indies in the Caribbean.

It is form that has put him in contention for a fulfilling his hopes of a Test debut.

“I love playing red-ball cricket,” he told the Telegraph, external. “I feel it is something I am good at.”

Salt is also now an Indian Premier League winner.

Having gone unsold in the auction, the opener was planning for the start of the County Championship season when a call came from Kolkata Knight Riders, who needed an injury replacement.

In 12 games, he scored 435 runs at a strike rate of 182, helping propel KKR into the play-offs as their second-highest run-scorer before departing prior to the knockout stages for England’s series against Pakistan.

That all came while keeping up with City’s Premier League title run-in back home.

“There were a few late bedtimes,” he says.

“Luckily the IPL games don’t start until 7:30/8pm and you don’t get back to the hotel till 1am or 2am.

“Your body clock switches almost to English time so it’s actually not as hard as you’d think.”

Salt’s early departure from the IPL meant he missed missed KKR’s victory in the final.

It did mean, however, he was in the UK for the tense final day of the Premier League season when City held their nerve to beat West Ham 3-1 and win the title.

Salt watched it hidden away at England team-mate Jonny Bairstow’s barbecue.

“We went two up and then I thought I’d go back outside,” he says.

“Then they got one back and I just had an eye it from the outside. I didn’t really want to ride the wave too much.”

The T20 World Cup is not the only major tournament England will compete for this summer.

The cricket coincides with football’s European Championship from 14 June, although Wales failed to qualify – and Salt will not be cheering on England.

“I’ll let the boys have their day in the sun,” he says. “We’ll be back.”

For now, though, it is Salt who is back.

Back at the Kensington Oval, where the World Cup final will also be played in four week’s time.

“I’m very fond of the place,” he says.

This could be Salt’s time in the sun.