England return to the Caribbean for one more white-ball collection towards the West Indies which begins on Thursday with the primary of three ODIs.
The vacationers are mild on star energy because the likes of Ben Stokes, Harry Brook and Joe Root miss out as a result of current finish to the Pakistan Check journey and the injured Jos Buttler is absent for the ODI collection.
Right here, we glance a number of the speaking factors of the journey which additionally consists of 5 T20s.
Caribbean fatigue
England’s third go to to the Caribbean in 11 months amid an unrelenting pre-Christmas itinerary feels particularly superfluous.
The well-worn upshot of excursions rubbing up towards one another – as this one does with the Pakistan Check journey – is a few of England’s finest gamers are unavailable for what’s their penultimate ODI project earlier than the Champions Trophy.
The inexperience of the group is as soon as once more highlighted by leg-spinner Adil Rashid being their main ODI run-scorer and the untried quartet of Dan Mousley, Michael Pepper, John Turner and Jafer Chohan could get the chance to strut their stuff.
Livingstone the chief
Cricket has had its unpredictable moments in the previous couple of weeks and never many high Livingstone taking short-term cost of England’s ODI group due to Buttler’s nagging calf damage.
It was just a few weeks in the past the all-rounder was initially dropped for Australia’s go to solely to barge his method again in following a few brutish T20 knocks and an damage setback for Buttler.
He capitalised by making the quickest ODI fifty at Lord’s, brutalising the scary Mitchell Starc for 28 in an over.
Livingstone has some captaincy expertise in home cricket and is now one of many senior heads within the squad.
Will England spice issues up?
Social media was abuzz when Pepper was known as up after it was confirmed Buttler would miss the primary a part of the tour, with hypothesis rife the Essex wicketkeeper might accomplice Phil Salt on the high of the order in a dream union for headline writers.
The pair are unlikely to push it collectively except damage or sickness befalls the camp as Pepper was known as up as batting cowl for the collection.
What about Jafer Chohan?
Unable to make the grade at Middlesex however handed a second probability at Yorkshire after assist from the South Asian Cricket Academy and a suggestion from Joe Root, Chohan was one other left-field England selection.
The 22-year-old leg-spinner has proven flashes of potential and has a excessive ceiling England crave proper now.
The very fact his skilled profession has solely comprised of 23 T20s has been no impediment.
It appears unlikely he’ll get an ODI debut and he could as an alternative be on a watching transient on this tour, studying from among the finest within the enterprise in shut buddy and Yorkshire team-mate Adil Rashid.
What’s in it for the Windies?
Whereas the Champions Trophy is on the horizon for England – and a bolter might emerge from the Caribbean – the West Indies didn’t qualify for the eight-team match scheduled to be held in Pakistan in February and March subsequent yr.
Their subsequent staging publish is the 2027 World Cup after lacking out on the 2023 version in India however they’ve a proud dwelling document towards England, having not misplaced to them in their very own circumstances in any format since March 2019.
Shai Hope, who averages near 50 on this format, captains the facet whereas Shimron Hetmyer shall be seeking to present the firepower after his recall.
Additionally within the Windies squad is 17-year-old wicketkeeper Jewel Andrew, who has been tipped for large issues by Caribbean greats together with Viv Richards, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ian Bishop.
READ MORE: Liam Livingstone backs England’s ‘untapped expertise’ to shine in Carribean
