As England kicks off their Champions Trophy campaign against an understrength Australian side in Lahore on Saturday, there’s much anticipation and plenty to discuss surrounding the latest Ashes clash.
Bazball Faces a Stern Test
Brendon McCullum’s journey with England as the white-ball coach hasn’t exactly been a walk in the park. Their recent tours in India ended with disappointing results, suffering defeats in both T20 and ODI series and securing just one win out of eight games. During the ODI whitewash where England failed to post a single century, their batsmen struggled against India’s impressive spin lineup. England’s bowlers, tasked with delivering fast and intimidating spells, often found their own pace being used against them. However, the flatter pitches in Pakistan might provide a silver lining, despite England’s dismal record of 16 losses in 23 ODIs since the 2023 World Cup.
Buttler’s Time to Shine
England’s struggles in ODIs have mirrored the prolonged dip in form of their captain, Jos Buttler. He’s averaging just 20.78 with only two fifties from his last 15 matches, a far cry from his previous credentials. From the team’s revitalization in 2015 up until just before the 2023 World Cup, Buttler was in phenomenal form, boasting an average of 46.61 and a strike rate of 120.63 over 114 games. To inspire his team in Pakistan, Buttler needs to tap into his peak finisher role once more.
Smith’s Big Responsibility
Back from a left calf injury that sidelined him in the latter stages of England’s Indian tour, Jamie Smith has dual duties—keeping wickets and batting at number three. While he’s adept behind the stumps, the decision to move him above Phil Salt and Ben Duckett is unexpected, especially since Smith has mostly been further down the order in international cricket. Although his ODI average sits at 22.16 with 49 as his top score, McCullum’s penchant for audacious selections continues with this bold move.
Spotlight on England’s Bowling
By opting for Smith, England has strengthened their batting order but now face a potential shortage in their bowling lineup. They could have picked Jamie Overton at number seven, yet while he showed promise as a bowler, his batting floundered in India, managing only five single-figure scores in six innings. England now banks on the pace trio of Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, and Brydon Carse—all recently returning from injuries—and Adil Rashid’s leg spin, while Liam Livingstone and Joe Root fill in the rest. With first-innings scores here averaging 291 over the past three years, England can only hope their primary options don’t turn out too costly.
Australia’s Challenges
Australia has encountered numerous setbacks with injuries and player withdrawals. Star players like captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are nursing injuries, and Mitchell Starc has pulled out for personal reasons. Additionally, Mitch Marsh is injured, and all-rounder Marcus Stoinis has unexpectedly retired. With Steve Smith taking the reins as captain, Australia will depend heavily on seasoned players like Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, and Adam Zampa—all instrumental in their 2023 World Cup victory. The depleted lineup might explain the muted tension around the Ashes, despite this being the teams’ potential final face-off before clashing again for the urn later this year.
