When it comes to this ODI World Cup, there's only so much that can be done. One thing that
has to be done is that the moment England are mathematically out of contention, Ben Stokes needs to be sent directly to a knee surgeon. There's no point keeping him out there for a single dead rubber game.
They also need to cast aside the supermajority of this squad; not as a punishment for how things have gone, but because most of them will be 40-ish by the next World Cup.
Let's have a quick look at the players on a role-by-role basis:
Powerplay Hitters
Current squad:
Jonny Bairstow - age at next WC: 38 - last 12 months: 146 runs @ 18.25 (SR: 87.95, best 52) - secondary ability: wicket-keeper
Fringe player:
Jason Roy - age at next WC: 37 - last 12 months: 317 runs @ 35.22 (SR: 92.96, 2 centuries, best 132)
Fringe player:
Will Jacks - age at next WC: 28 - last 12 months: 160 runs @ 40.00 (SR: 111.11, best 94) - secondary ability: attacking spin bowler
Fringe player:
Phil Salt - age at next WC: 31 - last 12 months: 180 runs @ 25.71 (SR: 129.49, best 61) - secondary ability: wicket-keeper
Domestic player:
Will Smeed - age at next WC: 25 - uncapped
Domestic player:
Tom Kohler-Cadmore - age at next WC: 33 - uncapped
Domestic player:
Tom Banton - age at next WC: 28 - last 12 months: not selected - secondary ability: wicket-keeper
Domestic player:
Stevie Eskinazi - age at next WC: 33 - uncapped
Domestic player:
Joe Clarke - age at next WC: 31 - uncapped - secondary ability: wicket-keeper
Looking at this list, it's pretty clear that neither Bairstow nor Roy should be expected to make it to the 2027 World Cup. However, it's also pretty clear that Jason Roy should have made it to this World Cup - two centuries in the last year show that he still has it in him to make big scores at pace, even though he has got out cheaply around those innings. Phil Salt and Will Jacks seem to be the next in line to replace them, and should likely be invested in as the next England opening partnership. They also help for the team balance, because both can be picked as dual-role players without damaging the team.
There are a selection of domestic players behind them in the queue, of whom Stevie Eskinazi has been genuinely hard done by never to have been capped in this format.
Hypothetical XI so far:
1.
Phil Salt
2.
Will Jacks
--------------------------------------------
Accumulators
Current squad:
Dawid Malan - age at next WC: 40 - last 12 months: 947 runs @ 59.18 (SR: 99.37, 5 centuries, best 140)
Current squad:
Joe Root - age at next WC: 36 - last 12 months: 214 runs @ 23.77 (SR: 85.25, best 82) - secondary ability: stock spinner
Fringe player:
Ben Duckett - age at next WC: 33 - last 12 months: 178 runs @ 44.50 (SR: 105.32, 1 century, best 107*) - secondary ability: wicket-keeper
Fringe player:
Sam Hain - age at next WC: 32 - last 12 months: 106 runs @ 53.00 (SR: 106.00, best 89)
Fringe player:
Zak Crawley - age at next WC: 29 - last 12 months: 51 runs @ 25.50 (SR: 115.90, best 51)
Domestic player:
Jordan Cox - age at next WC: 27 - uncapped - secondary ability: wicket-keeper
Domestic player:
Ollie Robinson - age at next WC: 28 - uncapped - secondary ability: wicket-keeper
Domestic player:
Keaton Jennings - age at next WC: 35 - uncapped
So I was extremely surprised to discover that Joe Root's last ODI hundred came
against the West Indies in the last World Cup. For someone who is generally regarded as England's most reliable ODI batter, this was a huge surprise. Dawid Malan, who has been almost unfailingly stellar, will be 40 by the time the next World Cup rolls around, so it seems unlikely that he will still be around at that point. Exactly how the team management will handle this is anyone's guess (my guess is that they will immediately discard him after the World Cup finishes and then wonder where all his runs have gone).
Hypothetical XI so far:
1.
Phil Salt
2.
Will Jacks
3.
Ben Duckett
4.
Sam Hain
--------------------------------------------
Situation Player
Current squad:
Ben Stokes - age at next WC: 36 - last 12 months: 283 runs @ 56.60 (SR: 99.64, 1 century, best 182) - secondary ability: vibes
Current squad:
Harry Brook - age at next WC: 28 - last 12 months: 251 runs @ 25.10 (SR: 92.27, best 80)
Fringe player:
Sam Billings - age at next WC: 36 - last 12 months: 95 runs @ 31.67 (SR: 83.33, best 71) - secondary ability: wicket-keeper
Fringe player:
Ben Duckett -
see above
Domestic player:
Dan Lawrence - age at next WC: 30 - uncapped
This is the cog that the media keep referring to as the "Morgan role" - a player in the team who is capable of being anything from a full-on anchor to an all-out hitter depending on what the situation demands. Ben Stokes has already retired once and cannot really be expected to hang around after this World Cup. Harry Brook is the obvious heir apparent, but will England let him play many ODIs given his Test commitments? Other possible answers here include Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, or just doubling down and placing more faith in Jos Buttler.
Hypothetical XI so far:
1.
Phil Salt
2.
Will Jacks
3.
Ben Duckett
4.
Sam Hain
5.
Harry Brook
--------------------------------------------
Late-Innings Hitters
Current squad:
Jos Buttler
- age at next WC: 37 - last 12 months: 673 runs @ 42.06 (SR: 109.07, 1 century, best 131) - secondary ability: wicket-keeper
Current squad:
Moeen Ali - age at next WC: 40 - last 12 months: 263 runs @ 20.23 (SR: 96.69, best 51) - secondary ability: stock spinner
Current squad:
Liam Livingstone - age at next WC: 34 - last 12 months: 217 runs @ 31.00 (SR: 102.35, best 95*) - secondary ability: stock spinner
Fringe player:
Jamie Smith - age at next WC: 27 - last 12 months - 9 runs @ 9.00 (SR: 90.00, best 9) - secondary ability: wicket-keeper
Domestic player:
Adam Hose - age at next WC: 34 - uncapped
Domestic player:
Jamie Overton - age at next WC: 33 - uncapped - secondary ability: stock seamer
Domestic player:
Max Holden - age at next WC: 29 - uncapped
This is another part of the team that's quite tricky to fit together. If we assume that Jos Buttler will want to carry on for the next World Cup, he would have to commit actual crimes in order for his place to be in question as a player (even putting aside his position as captain for a moment). One would expect England to persist with Liam Livingstone, as they really like his ability to turn the ball away from both left and right handers, but I really do think they're missing a trick by not selecting Jamie Overton for his rapidly improving batting, and to bowl in the "Plunkett role". If they're comfortable splitting 20 overs between Jacks, Livingstone and Overton then they
could pick all three, but I do think you want one more front-line bowler than that gives you.
Hypothetical XI so far:
1.
Phil Salt
2.
Will Jacks
3.
Ben Duckett
4.
Sam Hain
5.
Harry Brook
6.
Jos Buttler
7.
Jamie Overton
--------------------------------------------
I'll probably edit in some bits about the bowling later, but for now please accept my completed XI in lieu of that.
1.
Phil Salt
2.
Will Jacks
3.
Ben Duckett
4.
Sam Hain
5.
Harry Brook
6.
Jos Buttler
7.
Jamie Overton
8.
Brydon Carse
9.
Rehan Ahmed
10.
Gus Atkinson
11.
Reece Topley
