Mark Wood believes his maiden five-wicket haul against West Indies in the third Test has allowed him to finally show he is an England player.
"I've had some horrible dark days with injuries and things like confidence and self-belief," Wood said. "I thought in my own mind I was an England player but I hadn't shown it. I felt like today I've showed I am an England player.
"It's nice to show some people who've probably doubted me in the past, I've even doubted myself that I can do it, but I wouldn't say I'm out of the woods yet."
A longer run-up and an impressive trip to UAE with England Lions - he took 4 for 67 and 1 for 56 in a four-day game against Pakistan in November - had Wood believing in his body once more. His blistering pace against West Indies in his 13th Test and first since last May was further proof.
"[There were] times where I had no confidence slamming my front foot down ... there were times when I was desperate to do well, trying my hardest, but it just wasn't quite happening for us but luckily today is a day when it's clicked," Wood said.
"I just don't feel like I have to force it as much," he said of his extended run-up, which has dispensed with his sprinter-like initial burst of speed. "I'm still hitting the floor ... but with more momentum, more rhythm. Before, I had to get up to speed quick and to get up high pace, I had to muscle it a little bit whereas now I feel in more rhythm, and I can get in the spin of things and today it just clicked."
His rediscovered self-belief came to fruition on the second day in St Lucia, but he had had to wait for the opportunity after being a late call-up to the England squad in the Caribbean when Olly Stone returned home with a back injury before the first Test.
"I felt I was actually here on merit," Wood said. "I felt because I'd done well there [in UAE] it merited my spot being here and this time I wasn't picked on potential, I deserved it."
And should the self-doubt creep in at any stage again, Wood can call on his latest performance to help him through.
"It's a day I'll never forget so any time it's not going quite right I can look back on this game and have fond memories," he said.