‘A huge amount to offer’ – why have England promoted Smith?

It looks, on the face of it, a confusing decision.

Jamie Smith has been promoted to the top three spot in England’s opening Champions Trophy game, a position he has only held once throughout his entire professional career.

Back in 2019, Surrey faced Kent on that occasion. In Lahore on Saturday, he will face Australia.

Captain Jos Buttler praised the player as “a really exciting player who has obviously taken to international cricket so well and has a lot to offer in that role.”

Under coach Brendon McCullum, England appears to have employed the most aggressive tactic in recent memory.

Smith impressed in his first Test match of the year last year despite not achieving a fifty in his seven one-day international starts.

The most obvious illustration of why England believes his batting could change the game was his 67 against Sri Lanka, which took 52 runs from his final 18 balls with powerful boundary hitting that was technically correct.

The hierarchy clearly believes that Smith is the better option to attack the powerplay if a wicket should fall in the first 10 overs, even though he takes Joe Root’s place, who is arguably England’s greatest number three in ODI cricket.

After two wickets have fallen, Root would have to play his more measured position.

“That top three of Duckett, Salt and Smith can be really aggressive and impose themselves and try and play a match-defining innings, with the blanket of Root, Brook and myself and Livi]Liam Livingstone] behind”, captain Jos Buttler explained.

The logic is there but it remains a significant risk, given Smith’s lack of experience.

When Buttler was questioned about Smith’s eligibility to bat at three against India earlier this month, he refused to comment on his absence due to a calf injury.

We just feel like it’s a nice combination for us at the moment, Buttler said, not at all in terms of how Root’s abilities, a skilled spinner in the middle of an ODI, impacted the discussion.

The statistics, though, suggest there may be something in it, as great as Root is.

In his past 23 ODI innings, Root averages 18.8 in 17 matches when coming in during the powerplay, compared to an average of 74.2 when facing his first ball after the 10th over.

Buttler is moved up a place to the top six as a result of Smith’s promotion, despite being suggested by some to raise the order.

Buttler has been having trouble with ODI form lately. Since becoming captain in 2022 he averages 33.13 in the format, compared to 41.2 before.

He batted at number six more frequently than any other position since before 2019.

Being in the middle order, playing impactful innings, and being really true to my own identity as a cricketer are the areas where I’ve had the most impact, according to Buttler.

“That’s really something I’m tapping back into.

That’s the way I’ve played, and I want to get out of this tournament and advance along with it over time.