Eoin Morgan, James Taylor and Joe Root should form middle-order for England vs Pakistan
Morgan, Taylor and Root should form middle-order for England vs Pakistan
England will be travelling to UAE for what promises to be gruelling series against Pakistan. The series will starting September 30 with England looking back at their 4-0 series whitewash of Pakistan on their 2011-12 tour for inspiration. One-Day International (ODI) captain Eoin Morgan and James Taylor formed formidable pair in England top-order in the recent ODI series against Australia, and the return of Joe Root to the side should bolster the one-day squad in the four-match series. Amit Banerjee explains why the trio should be a part of the England top-order for the team’s batting to improve tremendously.
Following what was a satisfactory season of cricket on home soil in which they regained the Ashes urn from their arch-rivals and won the five- ODI series 3-2 against New Zealand, England now set their sights on the upcoming series against Pakistan in UAE. On their previous tour they were whitewashed 0-3 in the Test series before posting a classing turnaround in the ODIs and the Twenty20 Internationals (T20I), winning 4-0 and 2-1 respectively.
Following the announcement of the squads by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Tuesday, the side’s batting is one of the more talked about things, especially after Adam Lyth was left out and Alex Hales was retained in all three formats. Talking about the top-order, however, England have a powerful new line-up that will include Root, Taylor and skipper Morgan.
Morgan and Taylor were in great form in the recent ODIs against Australia. They topping the runs charts with 278 and 246 respectively five appearances. They formed crucial partnerships, especially in the third ODI at Old Trafford, to put the side into commanding positions. They will, therefore, be crucial for England’s fortunes in the 50-over and 20-over contests.
They will however, be delighted at the return of Root’s, who was rested for the ODI series. The right-handed top-order batsman has been a gem for the team in the recent months, especially during the one-day series against New Zealand as well as the Ashes 2015, in which he was the leading run-getter for the hosts. Root’s consistency at the top, as well as coming in handy as a part-time spinner, will make him a valuable weapon for Test and ODI skippers Alastair Cook and Morgan respectively.
It may be assumed at this juncture that the selectors and the rest of the team management, under the current circumstances, would pick either Root or Taylor for the No. 3 spot. While the former’s case is a stronger one, it will be unfair if Taylor loses his spot due to the policy despite a good run in the recent matches. Instead, the selectors should sit back and watch the trio take on the Pakistan attack. Even if it means opting for two pacers and two specialist spinners, with Root’s part-time abilities as a back-up.
It is not the first time the trio have batted together. They have done the same in the ODI series in Sri Lanka, the Carlton-Mid Triangular series as well as the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. While the trio has experienced considerable success against the Sri Lankans, they could not succeed in the next two assignments. Given their current forms they will form a lethal faction occupying the Nos. 3 to 5 slots.
‘New England’, as the media has taken to calling the team since the appointment of Andrew Strauss as Team Director, has made several improvements in their performances following the disastrous World Cup campaign. It is time England start winning important overseas tours as well, and this move under the current circumstances could be a great move.
(Amit Banerjee, a reporter at CricketCountry, takes keen interest in photography, travelling, technology, automobiles, food and, of course, cricket. He can be followed on Twitter via his handle @akb287)