Just as it was for the T20 World Cup last year, Jos Buttler called Jason Roy to inform him that he had not been included in England’s final World Cup team. Although Buttler considers Roy a good friend and has been a teammate on the international stage for almost ten years, Buttler has struck Roy twice in the past 13 months.
His exclusion might spell the end of his career for the country. Roy is set to be a non-travelling reserve for the World Cup, according to England’s national selector Luke Wright, who also reiterated that they “certainly aren’t ruling him out” of further selection. He still has a chance to suit up for Ireland in the second and third ODIs.
However, in press interviews after the Hundred, Roy indicated that he anticipated this World Cup to be his final tournament for England. At 33, he predicted “a changing of the guard” in 50-over cricket and said that, 14 months after his last T20I appearance, he is not likely to play in the T20 World Cup in 2024.
When England’s selectors convened in Nottingham five weeks ago to choose their preliminary team, Roy and Jonny Bairstow were included as members of their preferred opening tandem. Roy had credit in the bank despite playing sparingly in the English summer due to a calf ailment following a strong IPL season with Kolkata Knight Riders.
In the different circumstances of Bloemfontein and Mirpur in 2023, he had scored hundreds in two of his six ODI innings, and he was the player England had chosen more frequently than any other for 50-over cricket in between World Cups. Even though his results decreased throughout the four-year cycle, he still had a strike rate of 105.53 and an overall average of 39.91 in 116 ODIs.
However, as Wright succinctly said, “Things happen in sport.” To overtake Roy as Bairstow’s opening partner against New Zealand, Dawid Malan scored 54, 96, and 127 runs.
Harry Brook’s performance following his initial exclusion in late August—259 runs from 129 balls in four innings for the Northern Superchargers and England—which Matthew Mott called a great player’s response—as well as Roy’s fitness issues, which led to back spasms on the morning of the first and third ODIs and forced him to withdraw from the series.
“We’ve made it very clear that we see him as the man to do that as a reserve batter at the top of the order, and I don’t think there’s any reason why we wouldn’t,” Wright said. “We’ve discussed that with him. He now has time to think. He is still available for England, as was the initial reaction; until that changes, that is how we see it.
England’s selection choices in the lead-up to World Cups used to feel panicky; this one was cool and deliberate. Even if Roy’s international career may still be ongoing because, as Wright would remind him, things do happen in sports, if this is the end, it would be a brutal way for an England white-ball legend to depart. Roy has been a favorite among the fans with England cricket tickets.
Australia happy to trust Sean Abbot despite fitness issues
Australia announced a tentative 15-player roster with no surprises, and they are sure that Pat Cummins, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, and Glenn Maxwell will be ready for the ODI World Cup.
Sean Abbott defeated Nathan Ellis’ bid to secure a spot among the pace bowlers in one of the few contestable slots. In addition to being a backup wicketkeeper, Josh Inglis is also a backup batsman. Up until September 28, the squad can be changed without ICC clearance.
Ellis, Aaron Hardie, and Tanveer Sangha were the only three players from the initial 18-player group chosen for the South Africa and India tours earlier this month who still need to make the final roster.
Due to many injuries to first-choice players, Australia’s World Cup preparations have grown disorganized, much to the dismay of those with Australia Cricket tickets. While Starc has been out with a groin issue, Cummins and Smith both sustained wrist problems during the Ashes that prevented them from participating in the ODI series in South Africa.
While this was going on, Maxwell, who was always going to miss the South Africa one-dayers due to the birth of his first kid, left early after experiencing ankle pain and would probably be closely monitored in the run-up to the World Cup.
National selector George Bailey stated, “All are well positioned to return online in the upcoming weeks and possibly for selection in the upcoming series against India.” Before the final squad is announced, eight one-day matches in South Africa and India must still be played. Two World Cup exhibition matches follow, providing ample opportunities to continue the tournament buildup.
After impressing in the T20I series against South Africa, where he was brought in for a last-minute debut due to Adam Zampa’s illness, legspinner Sangha has drawn attention in the past week. However, Zampa, Ashton Agar, Maxwell, and Travis Head are the two frontline spinners the selectors chose to make up the squad.
Who bats first will be one of the essential considerations the selectors must make in the upcoming weeks. While Head has been productive since his return to ODIs, Mitchell Marsh’s T20 form and his efforts against India in March have created a compelling case for keeping him at the top of the order.
Warner missed the first two games of the India series earlier this year, and upon his comeback, Head and Marsh took the first two spots, placing Warner at No. 4. Smith is most likely to remain in position three.
On October 8 in Chennai, Australia takes on India in the tournament’s opening match.
India dismantle Sri Lanka in Asia Cup Title Clash
India’s high-intensity, wicket-seeking new-ball bowling was on full show in the Asia Cup final, and it was executed flawlessly at a Premadasa, which had sold out all of its cricket tickets.
Mohammed Siraj is sprinting down the pitch after the fifth delivery in his second over. In eager chase of one of the few shots a Sri Lankan batsman middled, he is sprinting away from the pitch. There isn’t much power in the hit because Dhananjaya de Silva check-driven a fullish ball on the stumps with little backlift. Usually, the fielder at mid-on would have prevented this, and at most, one run would have resulted from it.
These are not typical conditions. The mid-on is absent.
The apex of Sri Lanka’s hierarchy has already been compromised. Kusal Perera got an edge to the wicketkeeper on Jasprit Bumrah’s second pitch after he had a fullish ball outside off nip away from him. Bumrah followed it up with another one that jagged away but was fuller. The execution of the traditional, wicket-seeking new-ball bowling is flawless.
It continues to be flawless. Bumrah poses a higher threat in the first three overs thanks to his whippy motion and somewhat full-length, crazy outside off. However, Siraj’s subsequent over may even define the entire tournament. He bowls superb late outswingers and occasionally sends a ball on with the arm directed toward the stumps by subtly shifting the seam position. He never relents.
Siraj runs around in his follow-through, like an engine drifting around a bend, and tears after de Silva’s checked drive during this opposition-shattering sequence. He was running after Ishan Kishan, who had just completed a catch at the previous ball at point. Siraj, though, does not even flinch. To the boundary, he races it.
The eleventh ball Siraj had thrown was this one. He had already claimed three wickets, and the others were all dots. At 8 for 4, Sri Lanka’s batting was arguably already damaged. However, Siraj raced for this one stray ball as if he was angry that they had even reached double digits.
India romped home to chase down the set 51 target in 6 overs as they took home the Asia Cup title for a record 7th time, much to the dismay of the home crowd at Premadasa, who had gone through hell and fire to retrieve cricket tickets to see the defending champions mount a defence.
