England's 3-1 T20 series victory over West Indies marked a successful conclusion to a 'perfect' white-ball tour of the Caribbean, according to interim head coach Marcus Trescothick. During the tour, several young players were given opportunities, with four making their debuts. Trescothick believes England achieved the right balance between winning and learning, leaving the team in a better position than when they arrived. Trescothick, whose tenure as interim coach ended with the final match of the series, highlighted the 'brilliant' results on the pitch, as England secured their first away T20 series win in over two years.
Trescothick praised Jacob Bethell and Saqib Mahmood for their 'superb' performances, with the former England opener backing Bethell to emulate Harry Brook's success across all formats. Bethell impressed throughout the tour, scoring three half-centuries in seven innings, confirming England's belief in his talent. Despite a modest first-class record, Bethell has been selected for England's upcoming Test tour to New Zealand, where he is expected to be the reserve batter.
The series also saw the return of Jos Buttler to the England setup after a four-month absence due to a calf injury. Buttler admitted he had feared for his captaincy after consecutive disappointing World Cups but hoped this period would be the most 'rewarding' of his career. Batting at No 3, Buttler quickly returned to form, scoring 83 off 45 balls in the second T20, and demonstrated creative captaincy throughout the series.
The final makeup of England's coaching staff across red and white-ball teams is expected to be decided during the New Zealand Test tour, where Trescothick will resume his previous role of assisting with the Test batters. Buttler has indicated that Ben Stokes and Joe Root are not guaranteed to return to England's white-ball setup, with the Champions Trophy just two months away.
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