ANDREW GALE says former Yorkshire junior wicketkeeper-batsman Josh Inglis has what it takes to become an Australian international.

Leeds-born Inglis, 26, played under-11s representative cricket with Jordan Thompson before emigrating to Perth with his family shortly before his 15th birthday.

He returned to play briefly for Yorkshire’s second team alongside the likes of Ben Coad, Steve Patterson and Adil Rashid, but has since made a name for himself down under.

Inglis has shone for both Western Australia in state cricket and Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash.

And he returns to Emerald Headingley as Leicestershire’s overseas player in Tuesday night’s Vitality Blast clash (6.30pm).

Gale did not come across Inglis, a keeper and an inventive top order batsman in T20, during the latter’s time in the Yorkshire set-up.

But he has seen him first hand in the Big Bash, where Gale has recently worked as a member of the Hobart Hurricanes coaching team.

“He’s done really well,” said Gale. “I think he’s improved a lot, and quickly. I saw him out in the Big Bash in person and then on TV. He looks a proper player.

“They have very good competition for that keeper’s spot, with someone like a Josh Philippe around as well. He’s also very good.

“He (Inglis) will probably need another good Big Bash this coming winter to get right in the frame with the Aussies. But there’s no reason why not.”

Inglis, who has scored 24, 34 and seven in three Blast games for the winless Foxes so far is one of a number of former Yorkshire players plying their trade elsewhere.

“You can’t get them all in at Yorkshire," Gale said.

“The hardest part of the job is almost taking their dream away because they want to have 20 years at Yorkshire winning Championships.

“When you take that away from them, you hope they get the chance to do it somewhere else.”

Yorkshire have won one and lost one to start this season’s Blast, beating Birmingham at Emerald Headingley on Thursday and losing to Durham at the Riverside on Friday.

Leicestershire have suffered defeats to Lancashire, Derbyshire and, most recently, Durham on Sunday. Durham were 85-7 chasing 169 and recovered their innings in similar fashion to how they did against Yorkshire on Friday night.

The England players will leave the White Rose at the end of this week ahead of a T20 series against Sri Lanka. Captain David Willey has been picked alongside Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan and Rashid.

One player who could come back into the reckoning when they go is Gary Ballance, who scored a blistering Roses century in the second team at Liverpool last week - 125 off 56 balls with 11 fours and nine sixes.