ECB on Tuesday announced a 16 member squad for three-match Test series against West Indies commencing on March 8th.
ENG vs WI 2022:
What comes as a shocking move by the selectors is the exclusion of James Anderson & Stuart Broad from the touring squad for the West Indies test series. Andrew Strauss ECB’s interim director of cricket has said that the decision “does not mean the end for them as England players”.
The Ashes 4-0 defeat in Australia has already priced Ashley Giles, Chris Silverwood and Graham Thorpe their jobs & now two leading wicket-takers of England’s test cricket have been excluded from the test squad by a selection panel comprising Strauss, Paul Collingwood, head coach for the Caribbean tour, and James Taylor, a selector.
England’s poor outing in Australia was the result of their failure with the bat. Anderson averaged 23 in his three test matches in the Ashes series & averages 22 since the start of 2020 while Stuart Broad averaged 26 from three matches & took a five-wicket haul in the fourth test. Looking at their unimpressive performances in the Ashes series they were excluded from the West Indies test series.
However, the duo was not used smartly in Australia. Both were left out of the opening Test at the Gabba, in conditions that suited them, and Broad missed out at the MCG on a surface tailor-made for his bowling. It remains to be seen whether this is the end for Anderson & Broad’s career for England’s National team. In a press release, Strauss who will speak to the media at Lord’s on Wednesday said that the decision would be up to the permanent managing director & head coach to decide on the future of the duo.
“In respect of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, I want to emphasize this does not mean the end for them as England players,” the statement read.
“We feel that it is important to look at some exciting new bowling potential and give some added responsibility to other players who have featured previously. No one doubts the quality and experience that James and Stuart bring to the England set-up. It will be up to the new managing director and permanent head coach to decide on whether they will be involved this summer and beyond.
“This selection of this squad is the start of a process and a journey to get England Test cricket back to where it needs to be, and the hard work starts now.”
Post Ashe’s clean-up continues as six other players have been excluded from the touring squad for the three-match test series. The 16 man squad will miss the services of Dawid Malan, Dom Bess, Sam Billings, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, or Haseeb Hameed. Durham’s opening batter Alex Lees & Yorkshire’s pacer MatthewFisher have received maiden call-ups in the Test squad while the uncapped Lancashire duo of Saqib Mahmood and Matt Parkinson are also included in the squad. Ben Foakes has been recalled and will be the first choice wicket-keeper.
Joe Root & Ben Stokes will lead the England squad in the Caribbean while young batters Zak Crawley who impressed with a fifty at the MCG, Ollie Pope, and Dan Lawrence will retain their places in the test squad alongside the experienced Jonny Bairstow. Chirs Woakes & Craig Overton are the fast bowling all-rounders while Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood will compete in the spin department.
Chris Woakes and Craig Overton are the fast-bowling all-rounders while Ollie Robinson and Mark Wood complete the pace department. Jack Leach partners Parkinson as the other spinner in the team.
ENG vs WI 2022, England Squad:
Joe Root (C), Jonny Bairstow, Zak Crawley, Matthew Fischer, Ben Foakes, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Alex Lees, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood