England have taken their first steps towards easing Marcus Trescothick back into international cricket by naming him in a 30-man provisional squad for September's Twenty20 World Cup.
But the opener is by no means sure he is ready to return to action for his country and you have to say serious doubts remain over whether we will ever see him wear an England shirt again.
The need to bring him back has been heightened by an appalling lack of nous at the top of the order in one-day cricket.
That is not to say he would solve all of England's failings, for since the 2005 Ashes his stress-related illness appears to have transferred to his form with the bat.
He struggled desperately in the one-dayers in Pakistan and, by his own admission, had a rough time of it during last summer's programme.
In an interview with the BBC today he sounded far from confident that all the demons in his mind had been eradicated.
So can England really take to South Africa a man who came home early from India, sat out the Champions Trophy and World Cup, and left the Ashes tour nine days before the first Test?
Ashley Giles says the trip is short enough (three weeks) for him to cope with but the anxieties which have gripped him on previous tours appear capable of returning without warning.
Yes he has been much happier this season with Somerset but a lot of his runs have come within a safe distance of home.
Ian Botham believes the selectors should resist the temptation to bring him back into a struggling one-day team, saying the pressure of having to get England off to flying starts will do neither party any favours.
I'm inclined to agree but I do appreciate that alternatives are hardly jumping out in front of David Graveney and Peter Moores.
What do you think?
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