It was as if they could not wait to share the news, England naming their XI for Saturday’s Champions Trophy opener against Australia well in advance and springing a surprise too. Jamie Smith is back from a calf injury and will keep wicket but, more eye-catchingly, he will bat at No 3.
The team emerged as Jos Buttler’s side trained under lights at the Gaddafi Stadium on Thursday evening and, on the eve of a major tournament, represented something of curveball. Gifted but inexperienced, Smith has batted first-drop just once in his List A career at Surrey, while Joe Root, England’s record centurion in ODI cricket, has moved down a spot.
However, if the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results then England – with eight defeats from their last 11 ODIs – are at least attempting to break the cycle. Their middle order misfired during the recent 3-0 shellacking in India and having their best player at No 4 should, in theory at least, shore things up a touch.
There is a trade-off, however, the kind of gamble that Brendon McCullum has made his calling card with England. The surfaces in Pakistan are not expected to produce the same amount of turn as the ones that derailed Buttler’s men in India and, accordingly, the acutely batter-heavy XI selected leaves the captain’s attack looking potentially light.
At a ground where 291 is the average first innings ODI score in the past three years – and where Australia failed to defend a target of 349 against Pakistan back in 2022 – Buttler will have just four frontline bowlers. Three are outright quicks – Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Brydon Carse – with Adil Rashid’s safe-cracking reliability the only frontline spin option.
It means the onus is on Liam Livingstone and Root to make up 10 overs between them, with no other all-round options selected. With Jacob Bethell ruled out of the tournament after a hamstring injury, the only alternative was to pick Jamie Overton in place of a batter. But after five single-figure scores and a best of 19 in India, this was the less appealing punt.
“We’re a three-spinner attack not just a one-spinner attack,” said Rashid, before the team was named. “Livi, myself and Rooty can do a good job in the middle overs. All three of us bowl in the nets together. We’re always talking, working on things and hopefully developing as a trio as well.”
Smith’s return after a calf strain that kept his India tour to just two Twenty20s was flagged early in the floodlit net session by his wicketkeeping drills, with Phil Salt, the stand-in during that injury layoff, working on his outfielding. Buttler, a captain under pressure after two poor World Cup defences in the last 18 months, has not worn the gloves under McCullum.
England XI: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (capt), Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.
Perhaps the switch should have been telegraphed sooner. When Tom Banton played the final ODI in India at No 3 – Root moving down a spot on that occasion – it appeared a temporary change; a way of giving Bethell’s injury replacement a game before the tournament. Had Smith been fit, this rejigged lineup may well have been deployed throughout.
What Smith lacks is a back catalogue of success in the 50-over format, with just three half-centuries in his 22 List A games to date and none during his seven in an England shirt. But as shown by Bethell’s elevation to No 3 in the Test side last December, McCullum is more interested in temperament and talent than statistics. Smith, 24, has both in abundance.
Pace is another of McCullum’s penchants and in that respect Buttler will have 30 overs of it to throw at Australia. Archer has always tended to grab the headlines but the return of Carse after foot blisters – and having removed the dangerous Travis Head three times in four innings during last summer’s 3-2 ODI loss – may prove to be the greater boon.
“I’m going to have my work cut out with some of the fast bowling that England has got,” said Head. “They are high quality, highly skilled and high pace. I have to make sure I start well and see where the game takes us.”
With Head speaking before rain wiped out Australia’s afternoon training slot, it meant England enjoyed more practice than their opponents on the day. In that respect, their XI is not the only thing to change since India.
