T20 WORLD CUP BLOW FOR ROOT
TIME RUNNING OUT FOR JOE AFTER LATEST SNUB
Joe Root’s hopes of forcing his way back into england’s Twenty20 team in time for next year’s World Cup were dealt another severe blow yesterday when he was left out of the short-form squad to face Australia.
The england Test captain, who has not played a Twenty20 international for almost 18 months, is running out of time to be in eoin Morgan’s plans for the first of two T20 World Cups in successive years in India next october even though he will take his place in the three 50-over internationals against the Aussies that conclude the men’s international season.
And Root was left out of the Twenty20 series that begins at the Ageas Bowl on Friday despite trying to force the selectors’ hands by going straight from the Test bubble into the Yorkshire team where he made 64 and 65 in two games over the Bank Holiday weekend.
‘I don’t think any door is closed to Joe Root,’ said national selector ed Smith yesterday. ‘He’s a brilliant cricketer and an outstanding man but he’s also england’s Test captain and, at the moment, we are setting up in a particular way as an XI in T20 cricket and Joe’s not in that. That could easily change but he’s played a lot of cricket and we felt it’s not right to have him in the squad when he’s not likely to be starting.’
To be fair, england wheeled out the big guns yesterday. only Ben Stokes, on compassionate leave, and Jason Roy, through injury, were ruled out.
Jofra Archer will make his first white-ball appearances for england since the dramatic conclusion of the World Cup last year when he attempts to put a largely disappointing red-ball summer behind him in both formats against the Aussies. He is joined in both squads by Mark Wood, unlucky to make just one Test appearance against West Indies this season, as england prepare to throw pace and power at Australia at the Ageas Bowl and then emirates old Trafford.
Alongside Root, David Willey was hugely unfortunate to be left out of both squads, particularly in 50-over cricket where he returned in July to become player of the series against Ireland after the agony of his last-gasp omission from the World Cup last year.
The one certainty is that competition for white-ball places is stronger than ever and there will be an extra incentive for two batsmen in particular tonight in what is expected to be an unchanged england team for their final T20 match against Pakistan.
Tom Banton and Dawid Malan are both included in the Twenty20 squad but, even in the absence of Stokes and Roy, seem to be competing for one starting place against Australia when they face Pakistan at old Trafford.
Jos Buttler is expected to return at the top of the order, probably alongside Jonny Bairstow, which means Malan could again be the odd man out on Friday even though he could not do too much more than make seven 50s in his 12 Twenty20 appearances to date.
‘everything we do is try to build such strength in depth we have a range of options in all different positions,’ said Smith. ‘That’s what we’ve got at the top of the order in white-ball cricket.
‘There are so many good players, the question really is fitting them all in but, as headaches go, you’d rather have that than the other type.’
Banton, at 21, is clearly a huge prospect, as he showed with 71 in the abandoned first international against Pakistan, and his potential will probably give him the edge over a 32-year-old Malan, who seems to have to do more than most to prove he belongs.
‘I’m excited about the performances of both,’ insisted Smith. ‘Tom Banton has got an incredibly high ceiling and we’re now starting to see what he’s capable of.
‘What Dawid has done is take his opportunity extremely well whenever he’s been given one. It reminds me of the situation a few years ago when Jonny Bairstow had to wait a long time for his chance in one-day cricket. That’s a really good model to follow.’
Willey, however, might not have an international future at all beyond tonight’s final game against Pakistan when he seems certain to be left stewing on the old Trafford bench.
Willey was said to be ‘not happy’ with his exclusion yesterday, with england preferring Sam Curran as an all-round left-arm package, after a potent display against Ireland.
Smith confirmed that when he said he had an ‘honest and open’ conversation with Willey yesterday.
‘everything David achieved against Ireland has been noted but, in this instance, we are giving opportunities to other people,’ said Smith. ‘It was a tough decision. I’ve had a number of difficult conversations with David. He’s disappointed but what you always get with him is a dignified man who will make his position clear.’