Who’s in, who’s out?
IT seems there are again more questions than answers for England after losing last week’s fourth Test and drawing the summer showpiece series with Pakistan.
Now, with the selectors due to meet next month before the squad embarks on a monster seven-Test winter of the Sub-continent, a number of England players’ futures remain in the dark. Victory at the Oval last week for Trevor Bayliss’ side could have seen them move up to No.1, the coveted position they have not held since 2012. But they looked desperately short of being the world’s best in south London, and despite possessing a number of highquality, world-class performers, there remain several gaping holes that need immediate attention to fill. While England’s search for a Test-class spinner continues, it seems certain that Yorkshire’s Adil Rashid will be entrusted with the twirling duties alongside Moeen Ali. But again, the big talking point surrounds England’s worrying form with the bat, where an overreliance on the fortunes of skipper Alastair Cook and Joe Root has seen the middle-order, along with opener Alex Hales, struggle to maintain the weight of runs to keep Test attacks at bay.
Kent’s Daniel Bell-Drummond and the Essex pair of Nick Browne and Tom Westley all look players with bright futures at the top of the game, while Durham’s Scott Borthwick has a mountain of earlyseason runs under his belt this year in the County Championship’s top division, and would also prove useful with his leg-spin. Meanwhile, calls are growing louder for Jos Buttler to enter the fray once again.
“We’ve got around a month before we get together to discuss the next series,” said England coach Bayliss earlier this week. “There will be some tough decisions to make.”