England has ushered in a new era in white-ball cricket by excluding Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali from their upcoming matches against Australia. Despite their combined 400 international appearances, the seasoned duo has been deemed surplus to requirements as England reshapes its limited-overs squad following underwhelming performances in the ODI and T20 World Cups. Matthew Mott was relieved of his duties as England's limited-overs head coach last month, and the squad overhaul continued with Monday's announcement. Five newcomers have been drafted into the team for Marcus Trescothick's interim coaching debut. Left-arm seamer Josh Hull, all-rounder Jacob Bethell, and pace bowler John Turner were chosen for both formats, while Dan Mousley and Jordan Cox were added to the T20 lineup. Moeen, who served as a pivotal vice-captain to Jos Buttler, is now 37 and has accepted that his international career is nearing its end. His role as a spin-bowling all-rounder will be assumed by Warwickshire teammates Bethell and Mousley. Bairstow, who turns 35 next month, does not appear to be contemplating retirement despite being a key figure in England's 2019 50-over World Cup victory, where he scored centuries against India and New Zealand in crucial matches. Despite having about 14 months remaining on his two-year central contract, Bairstow was dropped from the Test team earlier this year after earning his 100th cap. Chris Jordan has also been cut from the squad, while Liam Livingstone remains in the T20 team but is omitted from the 50-over matches. Durham seamer Brydon Carse, who completed a three-month ban for past betting offenses, was selected and has been granted immediate reinstatement by England's selectors. Jofra Archer, who has only played in the Hundred since the T20 World Cup, retains his spot in both squads. The three-match T20 series against Australia commences at the Ageas Bowl, Southampton, the day following the conclusion of England's final Test against Sri Lanka. Harry Brook, Gus Atkinson, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith, and Matthew Potts will have a brief respite before linking up with Trescothick's ODI team for the five-match series. Joe Root is absent due to workload management ahead of a demanding winter. Zak Crawley, Ben Stokes, and Mark Wood are all sidelined due to injuries, but fast bowler Saqib Mahmood returns after recuperating from his fitness concerns. England's T20 squad to face Australia includes Jos Buttler (capt), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, and John Turner. The ODI squad features Jos Buttler (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Reece Topley, and John Turner.
Text: Lara Palmer
26.08.2024
Bairstow and Ali Dropped as England Revamps Limited-Overs Lineup Post-World Cup Disappointments