The 1999 season began for Key with a call up to England A's tour of Zimbabwe through January and February.
He struggled for runs throughout his five matches on the tour, failing to pass 26 in any innings.
In all, Key managed one century in the calendar year, 125 against Somerset, and finished the year with 1,309 runs in all competitions.
The 2000 season proved even more disappointing, with just 700 runs at an average of less than 20.

The 2001 English cricket season saw Key's form improve, with him scoring four first-class centuries; including one against the touring Pakistanis.
His highest score of the season and career to date would come in the final game—he scored 132 in a rain-affected match against Lancashire.
His scoring throughout the season persuaded the national selectors to include him in the National Academy, which went on a winter tour of Australia, where he showed his ability with an innings of 177 against the side's Australian counterparts.

He continued his good form into 2002, where his run-scoring earned him an invitation to play for the Marylebone Cricket Club against the Sri Lankans.
He scored 77 in a drawn match, and would later that season make his Test match debut against India.
However, following his Test debut, he only passed 50 on one further occasion that year.
He would maintain his place in the Test side against Zimbabwe the following year, despite only scoring one innings of note—129 against the Cambridge students.
However, after being dropped from the side, Key's form seemed to improve: he scored 140 against Nottinghamshire to set up a Kent victory, and consistently scored around 40 runs per innings for the remainder of the season.

The 2004 English cricket season saw Key hit top form for the first time, scoring a total of 2,486 runs in all competitions.
This total included a "majestic" unbeaten 118 in the opening game of the season against Gloucestershire, during which Key did not offer a single chance throughout.
He reached the thousand run milestone for the season on 2 June, the earliest date the milestone had been reached since 1978, and went on a run that included five centuries in seven innings.
He was then recalled to the England squad for the series against the West Indies, and Key played two key innings: 221 at Lord's, and his second innings 93 not out to win the third Test for England.
Following the series Key returned to the domestic scene, and finished the season with two further tons; 131 against both Northamptonshire and Middlesex.

Following the winter international series in South Africa, Key returned to domestic action with Kent.
While not having as successful a season as in the previous year, he still scored over 1,500 runs.
This included two centuries in the same match against Surrey, during the second of which he shared a county third-wicket record partnership of 323 with Martin van Jaarsveld.
At the end of the season, Key was named the new county captain following the resignation of David Fulton, a role he took on in order to help his chances of regaining a place in the England side.

His first season as captain saw his form slide, as Kent's chairman of cricket Graham Johnson related at the end of the season: "His commitment to the team has probably impacted on his own form".
Nonetheless, he was given the captaincy of the England A team in their fixture against Pakistan, and led Kent to fifth place in the top tier of the County Championship.
The following season saw Key lead Kent to silverware, whilst returning to some of his best form.
He struck a total of eight centuries, and amassed a total of 2,267 runs in all competitions, whilst also leading Kent to the finals day of the 2007 Twenty20 Cup, in which Kent defeated Sussex and Gloucestershire to claim the trophy.
However, Key was later found guilty of "serious dissent" following his controversial dismissal in the final.

He continued his run-scoring into 2008, where he scored an unbeaten 178 against the touring New Zealanders to "lift himself firmly into the Test reckoning".
Following Michael Vaughan's resignation as England
The 1999 season began for Key with a call up to England A's tour of Zimbabwe through January and February. He struggled for runs throughout his five matches on the tour, failing to pass 26 in any innings. In all, Key managed one century in the calendar year, 125 against Somerset, and finished the year with 1,309 runs in all competitions. The 2000 season proved even more disappointing, with just 700 runs at an average of less than 20.
The 2001 English cricket season saw Key's form improve, with him scoring four first-class centuries; including one against the touring Pakistanis. His highest score of the season and career to date would come in the final game—he scored 132 in a rain-affected match against Lancashire. His scoring throughout the season persuaded the national selectors to include him in the National Academy, which went on a winter tour of Australia, where he showed his ability with an innings of 177 against the side's Australian counterparts.
He continued his good form into 2002, where his run-scoring earned him an invitation to play for the Marylebone Cricket Club against the Sri Lankans. He scored 77 in a drawn match, and would later that season make his Test match debut against India. However, following his Test debut, he only passed 50 on one further occasion that year. He would maintain his place in the Test side against Zimbabwe the following year, despite only scoring one innings of note—129 against the Cambridge students. However, after being dropped from the side, Key's form seemed to improve: he scored 140 against Nottinghamshire to set up a Kent victory, and consistently scored around 40 runs per innings for the remainder of the season.
The 2004 English cricket season saw Key hit top form for the first time, scoring a total of 2,486 runs in all competitions. This total included a "majestic" unbeaten 118 in the opening game of the season against Gloucestershire, during which Key did not offer a single chance throughout. He reached the thousand run milestone for the season on 2 June, the earliest date the milestone had been reached since 1978, and went on a run that included five centuries in seven innings. He was then recalled to the England squad for the series against the West Indies, and Key played two key innings: 221 at Lord's, and his second innings 93 not out to win the third Test for England. Following the series Key returned to the domestic scene, and finished the season with two further tons; 131 against both Northamptonshire and Middlesex.
Following the winter international series in South Africa, Key returned to domestic action with Kent. While not having as successful a season as in the previous year, he still scored over 1,500 runs. This included two centuries in the same match against Surrey, during the second of which he shared a county third-wicket record partnership of 323 with Martin van Jaarsveld. At the end of the season, Key was named the new county captain following the resignation of David Fulton, a role he took on in order to help his chances of regaining a place in the England side.
His first season as captain saw his form slide, as Kent's chairman of cricket Graham Johnson related at the end of the season: "His commitment to the team has probably impacted on his own form". Nonetheless, he was given the captaincy of the England A team in their fixture against Pakistan, and led Kent to fifth place in the top tier of the County Championship. The following season saw Key lead Kent to silverware, whilst returning to some of his best form. He struck a total of eight centuries, and amassed a total of 2,267 runs in all competitions, whilst also leading Kent to the finals day of the 2007 Twenty20 Cup, in which Kent defeated Sussex and Gloucestershire to claim the trophy. However, Key was later found guilty of "serious dissent" following his controversial dismissal in the final.
He continued his run-scoring into 2008, where he scored an unbeaten 178 against the touring New Zealanders to "lift himself firmly into the Test reckoning". Following Michael Vaughan's resignation as England 
Robert Key (cricketer)