Joe Root has been called up to England’s ODI squad for February’s ICC Champions Trophy, as well as the 50-over leg of the India series that precedes it, in the first major call-up of Brendon McCullum’s tenure as coach in chief in the red and white ball. formats.
Root, who turns 34 later this month, will end 2024 as the world’s number one Test batsman, after a stellar personal year in the format in which he amassed 1,556 runs at 55.57, including six centuries.
However, he has not featured in the white-ball set-up for over a year, since England’s disastrous World Cup defense in India in October and November 2023. He made 276 runs at 30.66 in the team’s elimination in the group stage at that event. , well below his career average of 47.60 in the format, but in line with a clear decline (666 runs at 28.95) in 28 ODIs since his pivotal role in the 2019 World Cup victory.
Root’s Test captain and fellow World Cup winner Ben Stokes could also have been in the frame for a recall but was not considered for selection following the left hamstring injury he suffered during England’s 423-run loss to New Zealand in last week’s third Test. in hamilton.
However, in a strong indication of McCullum’s desire to unite the philosophies of his red and white ball teams, the 15-man group features a total of eight players who made Test team appearances this year, while each of the five on the team. Fast bowlers are capable of reaching speeds in excess of 90 mph. These include Jofra Archer, whose injury-free return to action in 2024 has encouraged belief that he could also return with the red ball next summer.
Mark Wood, England’s fastest bowler, is back in the set-up, having been forced to miss England’s winter Test tours after suffering an elbow injury in the summer. Like Gus Atkinson, another inclusion, he has not played ODI
cricket since the West Indies tour in December last year, and also featured in the 2023 World Cup campaign.
Brydon Carse, England’s standout winter Test fast bowler, has had the chance to improve on his impressive form, as has Saqib Mahmood, who confirmed his return to full fitness in the Caribbean last month after two stress fractures in his the back in 2022 and 2023.
Jamie Overton rounds out a notably heavy pace bowling contingent, with England’s determination to see him through his recent stress fractures meaning he even played as a specialist death-overs batsman in several recent white-ball contests. McCullum is also known for his batting, having scored 97 as a nightwatchman in his only Test to date, against New Zealand at Headingley in 2022.
Tellingly, there is no place for Sam Curran, England’s player of the match and tournament when they won the T20 World Cup in 2022, but who expressed concern earlier this year that as a sub-6 medium pacer feet, not “fit that mold” that the McCullum regime is currently looking for.
Reece Topley, another left-arm spinner who has been a staple of England’s recent white-ball teams, has also been overlooked after an unfortunate run of injuries, while fellow seamer Matthew Potts, who has impressed in his outings intermittent in all formats but is possibly a position below the pace of the rapids chosen by England, has also missed the cut.
Adil Rashid retains his place as England’s leading player, with likely support from Root, Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell, who has been selected for his first major tournament, having last month been awarded a two-year central contract with the ECB in recognition. of his rapid rise to prominence. Rehan Ahmed, Rashid’s heir apparent, will travel to India for the T20Is in January, with Root sitting out that leg of the tour.
Phil Salt and Ben Duckett are England’s likely starting pairing, having combined with some success against Australia in September. Will Jacks is the notable omission among the top-tier options.
Jamie Smith, who missed England’s Test tour of New Zealand due to the birth of his first child, returns as a middle-order batsman and could also keep the wicket, if captain Jos Buttler decides to give up the gloves, as he did in the recent T20I series. in the caribbean
Much remains to be seen when England line up for their first ODI against India in Nagpur on February 6, where Buttler, like many members of the squad, will play his first ODIs in over a year, having missed the English home season with an injury. on the calf.
England’s exact schedule for the Champions Trophy is awaiting confirmation, following the long-running dispute over Pakistan hosting India’s matches that resulted last week in the adoption of a hybrid model for future ICC events. However, the team will leave for India on January 17, ahead of the first of five T20Is in Kolkata on January 22.
England ODI squad for Champions Trophy and India tour: Jos Buttler (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood
England T20I squad for India tour: Jos Buttler (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Mark Wood
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