2025 ICC Champions Trophy - General Discussions

[Aislabie]

It actually felt like they played smarter today

I still feel like picking three right-arm hit the deck bowlers as your entire seam attack and then wondering why you just got belted on a road with dew in the air falls some way short of playing smarter.

I find the Smith at 3 thing somewhat baffling and Jos Buttler coming in with ten left feels like you completely ignore his strengths. He's not the player he was in 2015-2019 but he would always be the guy to come in with 20-25 overs left. I'd actually prefer Brook in at 4, Buttler floating and Smith playing the Stokes type role where he can pick up the pieces if needed. Or, Brook at 6 to take on the pacers given his struggles against spin. Heck, I'd give Brook a shot at opening with Duckett to be honest.

This is a more fundamental issue though: none of the side have any role awareness because the last domestic List A cricket any of them played was when Theresa May was still Prime Minister.

If I had to come up with a balanced XI from this squad, I think the only three definites on my teamsheet would be Duckett opening, Root at 3 and Rashid as the attacking spinner. The rest is very ???.

 

[ddrap14]

I find the Smith at 3 thing somewhat baffling

IDK I think we were much more balanced with him there :P