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Jamie Smith will start the batting in Harry Brook’s first one-day international since taking over as England’s full-time white-ball captain.
On Thursday, Smith will face West Indies at Edgbaston along with Ben Duckett.
After leaving the Indian Premier League (IPL), Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks are both starting for the team.
Captain Brook, 26, claimed that Smith, who bats at seven and takes wickets for the Test side, might be an “amazing” white-ball opener, according to Captain Brook and head coach Brendon McCullum, 26.
He has the technique to face the swinging ball, according to Brook, who told BBC Sport.
He is a very good player, as we have seen in Test cricket. From any position, he has the ability to put his best balls under pressure.
Smith has started playing both first-class and T20 cricket. He pitched only eight innings overall in his third appearance for the Champions Trophy.
A regular white-ball opener like Surrey’s Jacks would have provided a second option at the top of the order. Instead, he is listed at seven, one place behind Bethell, a fellow spin-bowling all-rounder.
Fast bowlers Jamie Overton and Brydon Carse, who are both quick and skilled with the bat, follow them.
Due to injuries, Pace bowlers Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, and Gus Atkinson are all out.
After an awful 18-month run of results, Buttler resigned as captain in February, keeping wicket and bats at number five.
When Buttler, arguably England’s greatest white-ball player of all time, was freed from the captaincy, Brook said, “That weight will be lifted off his shoulders.
He is “the world’s best white ball player.” He is free to simply show off his abilities.
England won the T20 World Cup in 2022 under Buttler, and the rest was abysmal under his leadership.
England have lost seven of their previous international matches.
“There is a new era here, new leadership,” Brook said. We’ll probably be able to unleash a lot of enthusiasm, enthusiasm, and fun.
“We’ll try to get some wins out of the crowd and try to engage them as much as we can.”
England could not possibly have qualified for the 2027 World Cup due to their poor run.
In order to avoid having to go through a qualifying tournament in March 2027, Brook’s team will likely need to be in the top nine of the world rankings. They are eighth, one place ahead of West Indies, in the three-game series.
Last week, the Windies drew a three-game series with Ireland 1-1.
West Indies captain Shai Hope praised the series as a “fresh start.”
Our main objective is to win the World Cup, but we must tick each box before reaching 2027.
After missing the Champions Trophy with an injury and skipping England’s Test victory against Zimbabwe due to his IPL commitments, Bethell now plays international cricket.
The 21-year-old, who will represent Warwickshire at home, was born in Barbados and attracted Hope’s attention as a teenager.
“During his under-15 stint, I saw him. Hope praised him for always displaying a high level of play.
He has a formidable talent, according to his description of the job. He has a lot of potential.
related subjects
- England Men’s Cricket Team
- West Indies
- Cricket
Source: BBC
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