Dan Lawrence believes he is a different player to the one last sighted in Test cricket more than two years ago, as he prepares to step up as makeshift opener against Sri Lanka.

Lawrence played the last of his 11 Tests against West Indies in March 2022 and has spent much of the Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum era running drinks.

The 27-year-old averaged 29 during a hit and miss first stint in Test cricket but says he is better placed to succeed now.

"I probably wasn't the player that I am now, and I had a lot to work on,” the Surrey batter said.

“I think in the past that I was a little bit loose at times, and I've tightened up a few things still with the same mentality of being aggressive. I think everything's in much better order now than it was two years ago.”

Lawrence typically bats in the middle-order but did start his first-class career as an opener at Essex and shrugged off criticism of the decision not to call up a specialist replacement for the injured Zak Crawley.

“Thankfully, it's not up to me to make those decisions,” he added. “I got asked to open the batting, and I'm definitely going to say yes. People are going to have their opinions, but I'm obviously chuffed to get the opportunity.”