- Brook replaces Roy in squad
- Archer out with injury but Wood and Rashid included
- Holders England currently second favourites
In a significant development ahead of the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, Harry Brook has earned a place in England’s final 15-man squad, replacing opener, Jason Roy. Roy, who was initially named in the provisional squad, was sidelined due to back spasms, causing him to miss recent one-day internationals against New Zealand.
Brook included in place of Roy
Despite Brook’s modest performance, with 37 runs in three matches against New Zealand, the 24-year-old has showcased his ability in international cricket over the past year, demonstrating adaptability in both top and middle-order positions.
Defending champions, England, begin their campaign against New Zealand on October 5th. The tournament, featuring 10 teams, will run until November 19th in India.
Roy, was a pivotal figure in England’s triumphant 2019 World Cup squad, playing a crucial role: He bounced back from a hamstring strain to make significant scores on England’s road to the final. His memorable throw led to the run out of Martin Guptill, clinching England’s thrilling victory.
Roy’s form has been inconsistent since,he was not part of the victorious 2022 T20 World Cup squad. Nonetheless, he did impress with two ODI centuries against South Africa and Bangladesh earlier this year. Roy’s last match was in The Hundred final on August 27th. Despite warming up before the final ODI against New Zealand, he was ultimately left out.
Dawid Malan is now set to partner with Jonny Bairstow at the top of the batting order. Malan, 36, is in sublime form, notably scoring 54, 96, and 127 in the 3-1 series victory over New Zealand.
Luke Wright, England selector, expressed confidence in the selected squad, emphasising the depth and quality of the white-ball players. Tough decisions had to be made, with Roy missing out and Brook stepping in.
While Roy’s potential participation against Ireland was discussed to assess his fitness, England has yet to confirm if he will join the separate 13-man party.
Despite Brook’s relative inexperience in 50-over internationals, his exceptional performances in Tests and T20s since his debut last year made his initial exclusion surprising.
Atkinson included, Archer misses out with injury
The remainder of the squad remains unchanged, with eight players from the victorious 2019 side, including the return of Test captain Ben Stokes from ODI retirement. Gus Atkinson, the 25-year-old Surrey pace bowler, earned his spot after making his ODI debut against New Zealand.
However, Jofra Archer, who played a pivotal role in the 2019 final, won’t be able to participate due to a recurring stress fracture in his elbow. Adil Rashid and Mark Wood, though recovering from minor injuries, are not in doubt for the World Cup.
England is yet to announce their three travelling reserves, leaving the door slightly ajar for Archer’s potential involvement as cover, given his recent training with the squad. The absence of such a key player undoubtedly presents a challenge, but England’s deep talent pool and the inclusion of promising youngsters like Atkinson signal a resilient and competitive team ready to defend their title.
England squad for World Cup
Jos Buttler (captain), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.
Betting Implications
Many pundits agree that England have come across their best squad, by hook or by crook. Though Brook secured his place without making a significant score in the New Zealand series, many feel that his inclusion will improve the squad’s batting options.
Punters looking to bet on England at the World Cup need to look at the squad as a whole, assess the impact they think that Brook will make and compare it to other countries’ squads and compare it to England’s 2019 squad while weighing up their chances.
At the time of writing, both bet365 and Betway have India as favourites, currently priced at 11/5 with England at 3/1. Further down bet365 have Australia at 9/2, Pakistan, 13/2 and South Africa 10/1, with Betway offering 4/1 on the Australians, 6/1 on Pakistan and 10/1 on South Africa. Odds are correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.
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