DON’T MAKE SAM THE FALL GUY AS STOKES ROARS BACK
Sidebottom urges Root to keep faith with Curran as Ben returns to the England fold
JOE ROOT has been told to keep faith with Sam Curran and not make him the fall guy for the returning Ben Stokes.
Root is facing a huge dilemma this week in Nottingham. With Stokes certain to return to the starting XI for the third Test, following the not-guilty verdict in Bristol, who will be left out following the thumping win at Lord’s?
Such is Stokes’ versatility, England could legitimately replace any one of half-adozen players without weakening the side, from Ollie Pope to Jos Buttler to Stuart Broad to Adil Rashid.
But in order for the side to retain the sort of balance that Test cricket requires, the spotlight almost certainly falls on the other two fast-bowling all rounders in the team, 20-year-old Curran (left) and Chris Woakes.
Curran was man of the match in the first Test at Edgbaston, while Woakes picked up the honours at Lord’s, so whoever makes way will rightly feel aggrieved.
And when it comes to balance and variety, former England left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom is adamant where the axe shouldn’t fall.
“It would be very harsh on Sam,” said Sidebottom (right). “He’s a huge talent and I don’t want to see him dropped, I really don’t. He adds that variation to the attack England have been crying out for.
“It makes a difference in terms of the variations that batsmen have to deal with. Rather than have just the same angles and style of bowling consistently at them, they have to think about something else, plus it also helps the spinners with rough.
“It is a tough decision for England, no doubt, but it
needs to be seen as a positive. You want to have those 13 players, who can all play, and usually someone is going to be disappointed.
“It is a huge coup for England to have Ben back. He has shown what he is capable of on the field in the Freddie Flintoff mould, he makes things happen, he changes games, and he’s a big player when it counts.”
Sidebottom has seen up close how Curran has developed this season, after joining the backroom staff at Surrey at the end of a stellar 20-year professional career. Brought in to help the then teenager take the next step up to international honours, he has been impressed with his skills and work ethic.
And Sidebottom reckons, should England decide to go with an exclusively right-arm pace attack, then Curran has the maturity and the support to take it in his stride.
“I’m really chuffed for Sam, I can’t praise him highly enough with his maturity and how he has performed at such a young age,” added Sidebottom, who took 79 Test wickets in 22 matches.
“He’s playing in the big occasions and he’s won a Test match with the bat as well, which shows he is an all-round talent, and he’ll have plenty more games to make an impact.
“But if Sam does miss out, I believe he is mature beyond his years and I think he will take it as well as you can.
“He’s got to be immensely proud of what he’s achieved so far.
“I don’t think it is like the old days where, if you got left out, you’d go away and sulk and wonder what’s going on.
“They are a squad with a strong bond.”