Root lines up deal to hone T20 skills in Big Bash

Joe Root has taken the first step to answering his problems in Twenty20 cricket by lining up a deal to play for the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash this year.

Root was left out of the England side against India last weekend and has barely played in the format over the past two years.

He was unsold in the most recent IPL auction and has been left behind in the ever-evolving world of T20 cricket.

However, England’s schedule this winter allows Root and other colleagues time to play in Australia.

Meanwhile, James Taylor has been appointed England’s youngest selector in modern times. Taylor, 28, was forced to retire by a serious heart condition two years ago.

He joins Ed Smith, who was appointed lead national selector in May, as one of England’s two fulltime selectors, supported by a panel of specialist scouts.

Taylor has given up his media work with the BBC as a condition of joining the England set-up full time. He starts work immediately.

He joins an England team who today will try to work out a method for facing India’s left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav. If India win at Lord’s, it will confirm only England’s second series defeat since the last World Cup.

A year today will be the final of the World Cup and Eoin Morgan, England’s captain, believes this series is giving his team useful exposure to an India side whose wristspinners arguably make them favourites to win the tournament.

England have used the Merlyn bowling machine, invented to combat Shane Warne a decade ago, to help with facing Kuldeep but it did not work at Trent Bridge, where he took six for 25.

Kuldeep dismissed the use of Merlyn yesterday night, pointing out that it does not have hands. It is the whir of arms and fingers that is so hard to read.

England’s only real option for changing the team today is to bring in an extra batsman, Dawid Malan – a good player of spin – potentially for Moeen Ali, but both sides are likely to be unchanged.