DAWID Malan’s debut date for Yorkshire is very much up in the air at present, but the England batsman is more than happy to be patient, as he and many others deal with the bigger picture.

The start of Malan’s career with the White Rose county has been put on hold until at least May 28 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, with the England and Wales Cricket Board stating that no cricket will be played in England before that date.

He signed a four-year contract after leaving Middlesex late last year and has since spent four days at Emerald Headingley, in and around his winter commitments with England and at some of the domestic leagues around the world.

Speaking before the club’s playing staff were furloughed, the 32-year-old said: “It’s frustrating from a cricket point of view.

“Your career is only so long, but ultimately there are bigger things in life than sport, which is being shown now with everything that is happening.

“Yes, we are desperate to be playing because it’s our livelihood and hobby and everything we enjoy. But there are things that are more important. It shows just how important family and relationships are.”

Malan’s winter has seen him play cricket in New Zealand, Abu Dhabi, Bangladesh, South Africa and Pakistan, limiting his time in God’s Own County.

“I was up there for four days (before the end of March), doing a bit of training, meeting the lads and looking at property,” he said.

“It was in two two-day bites, and it was really nice to be around the boys and to see how they went about their business.

“That is a big part of moving clubs, getting used to different cultures and ways of things.

“I think playing around the world over the last few years will help that when the time comes that I’m able to get more involved with the lads.”

The left-hander was on a scheduled short break after his time abroad, and was due to link up properly with the Yorkshire squad at the end of March, before the pandemic took hold.

He had also been working out down in London, ahead of a move to his new home in Yorkshire.