SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL
We may also rotate in the Ashes admits Silverwood
CHRIS SILVERWOOD believes England’s 3-1 defeat by India will come in useful during next winter’s Ashes – and revealed that players could fly home mid-series from Australia, too.
Despite insisting the Ashes was top priority, he refused to guarantee the best team would be available for the entire series Down Under.
That will come as a surprise to fans hoping skipper Joe Root is given the best chance of regaining the urn.
Asked whether he would have the strongest available XI for all five Ashes Tests, coach Silverwood said: “We are trying to grow a group of players where we can put a strong side out all the time.
“We have to be aware that we have to look after our players. There is a whole load of cricket coming up this summer, then we very quickly disappear abroad.”
Does that mean players could fly home midway through the tour, as they did in India? Silverwood, left, added: “We have to be proactive in looking after them. It’s certainly something we may have to look at, yes.” He and national selector Ed Smith have come under fire for the way Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran went home and missed Tests in India. But they will all be available for the white-ball contests and the IPL that follows.
The reason given was to ensure players were not burnt out before the Ashes and would still have enough energy to capture the No1 prize.
And while there may be some who disagree with the rigid method employed by the rotation policy in India, it is an admirable approach to guard against damage that could be caused by the schedule to multi-format players.
“We talk about working our way towards the Ashes and I want the squad to arrive there fit and in form, physically and mentally,” said Silverwood after the three-day, fourth and final Test hammering by an innings and 25 runs in Ahmedabad on Saturday.
“It’s a tough tour and one we are prioritising. We have some very fine young players – your Crawleys, your Sibleys, your Popes, your Lawrences.
“The experience and seeing these conditions will in the long run do them a world of good. Hopefully, we see them reap the rewards in Australia.”
Jofra Archer, meanwhile, is under an injury cloud for the white-ball games in India due to his right elbow issue.
“The medical staff are talking about how we deal with this long term,” said Silverwood.
“We’ll see where we end up with him. I want Jofra to be fit for all forms of cricket. I want him to have a long, successful Test career.”