Malan described himself as "speechless" to receive the call from national selector James Whitaker to tell him he was in the squad for three Twenty20s in Southampton, Taunton and Cardiff this week.
The 29-year-old Middlesex batsman is back in the reckoning, 12 months after his first call-up to a Twenty20 squad to face Sri Lanka - when he did not make the final XI, at the Ageas Bowl, where England will begin this summer's series on Wednesday.
He admits he began to sense his shot at international cricket had come and gone in the intervening year.
"I'm speechless again, as I was last time, to have been given the call-up," Malan told Sky Sports News.
"I definitely thought I'd missed the boat - being involved, not playing, and then not being involved in anything after that."
Malan, born in Roehampton of South African descent and brought up in the Western Cape until he moved to make his home in England a decade ago, caught the eye of the selectors again with an unbeaten century for the South as they beat the North in the inaugural 50-over fixture between the pair in Dubai three months ago.
"I think I was quite lucky to get into that North v South, and did quite well in that," he said.
"It's always a great honour (to be called up), and I hope I can get a chance this time.
"It was fantastic to get the news. It's hard to describe the feeling you get when you get a call you're not expecting saying you're part of an international squad.
"My ambition, my dream is to play for England. So I hope I can get the cap this time."
