As the Dukes’ balls whistle through the counties and white kookaburras are piped through all parts of the Indian Premier League, England’s thoughts turn to the Caribbean and a T20 World Cup title defence that can barely afford to go in the direction of its over-50s equivalent last year.
T20 is probably too temperamental a format to call it a cutlery or a bust, but it is clear that after India’s cruel one–day international abdication, Jos Buttler and Matthew Mott need a solid campaign – perhaps a minimum of semi-finals. England came out of the traps there with six defeats in the first seven matches. “I think it should actually be the creation of these two partnerships,” said Rob Key, the team leader at the time, before adding: “If not, then not, and they continue.”
Mott seems to be feeling the pinch, going through an interview with the Times last week. The Australian, of course, highlighted the T20 World Cup victory and the schedule, which, along with Key’s priority on test cricket, means that he “hardly sees” his best players in the middle of tournaments. “Sometimes it feels like you have a hand behind your back,” he said.
In this regard, it will be interesting to see if Mott has everyone close for the four-match T20 series against Pakistan at the end of May. It is England’s only heat-up cricket before the start of their World Cup group against Scotland in Barbados on June 4, followed by matches with Australia, Oman and Namibia. But it also collides with the excretory phase of IPL. Key will name a squad as well as a preliminary squad of 15 players for the World Cup on Tuesday.
May-on the same day as England’s second T20 at Edgbaston-it also makes sense to set everything up early. Communication with the players will be important here: just ask Jason Roy, who reportedly was on the plane to India only a year ago, so that Harry Brook can take his place in business class.
Ben Stokes, who has ruled himself out of focusing on test cricket, is making batting decisions easy. Openers Buttler and Phil Salt are in rich form at IPL, Will Jacks is the likely No.3 and Brook – assuming he’s ready to hit the road again-is too talented not to be a certainty. All the questions about Jonny Bairstow at the end of an epic but relatively unsuccessful winter in India were dispelled on Friday, when he monstrously had 108 of 48 balls to help the kings of Punjab evaporate a record-breaking 262 in Calcutta. It was a sapphirey episode, okay.
Regardless of the setup, given that Bairstow was previously the No. 4, he seems to be a strong top-5 player, albeit exclusively right-handed. Suppose Dawid Malan stays out – he thinks he is – a left-hander like Ben Duckett could serve as a substitute, or a tactical operation would have to slow down the throws for his sweeps. Next up are all-rounders Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali and Sam Curran, who all get playing time in the IPL. Livingstone is a curious one, the second half of his winter is one of the rare comebacks, but England seem to like it.
So much is being pinned on the bowling side about the possible return of Jofra Archer: Fingers crossed positively in pretzels that his nearly two-year health issue test is over. It would certainly stimulate England’s gone-bowling, as long as her Achilles heel. Curran did an excellent job in winning Australia 18 months ago – winning no less an MBE– but there are concerns that his medium has declined with his left arm.
