The England cricket team arrived to play in the ICC Champions Trophy with huge expectations. Brendon McCullum who had transformed the way England played Test cricket was named the white-ball coach of the side. Their tour of India ahead of the huge tournament ended with a 3-0 loss in the ODI series.
In the first match of the tournament, England faced Australia and put up a huge score of 351 on the board. After taking two early wickets, it was Josh Inglis who hurt the country of his birth to help the Aussies win the game. Needing a win against Afghanistan, the English lost the match by eight runs to exit the tournament.
The final game of the tournament saw England take on South Africa which they lost by seven wickets. This failed campaign has now posed new questions on England as they head into a new era. Jos Buttler stepped down as the skipper of the side after the disastrous campaign.
Here are the top 3 talking points from England’s Champions Trophy campaign:
Lack of spin options
Adil Rashid at the age of 37 still remains England’s best spinner in the white ball format. Considering the conditions on offer, it was a surprise that the selectors didn’t add Rehan Ahmed or Shoaib Bashir in the squad. With Mooen Ali having retired, Rashid needed a decent back up to bowl in the middle-overs. The likes of Liam Livingstone and Joe Root are batters at best and it wasn’t a bright idea for the English to entrust the duo with the ball in such a high pressure tournament.
Jos Buttler’s unimaginative captaincy
After the retirement of Eoin Morgan it was felt that Jos Buttler could fill the mantle and take the legacy ahead. Buttler though seemed to lack ideas when the going got tough during the tournament. Phil Salt who wasn’t firing with the bat was let to open the batting rather than coming out to open himself. This would have sent a huge message to the opposition with the captain himself taking up the battle. Some of the bowling changes during the tournament also were less than satisfactory.
Emergence of Ben Duckett as ODI cricket and Joe Root’s resurgence
Opener Ben Duckett was one of the best batters in the tournament. The left-handed batter scored 165 in their opening match against Australia. Duckett for long has been seen as a Test batter, showing that he is as dangerous with the bat in the fifty over format. Joe Root who had been itching to play white ball cricket made his return to the squad in grand fashion. The former England skipper scored a brilliant 120 off 111 balls in the game against Afghanistan to show he still has the talent to be considered for this format of the game.
Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.
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