IND vs ENG: Is it correct on England’s part to rest their key players for a big series?
If you are a cricketer representing England in all three formats, surely enduring the ebbs and flows of mid-tour breaks has to become the new normal for you. In an action-packed 2021, there’s a full-fledged India tour, followed by the IPL and an English summer. In addition to that, there are two-year defining events – the T20 World Cup and the Ashes.
Although the year might look extremely overwhelmed, the English selectors have already prepared a policy of giving their multi-format specialists a break from the team’s bio-secure environment at different stages of their winter campaign.
The policy had already taken its course when the likes of Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer were given a break for the Sri Lankan series. Its second effect has transpired the likes of Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood and Sam Curran to become part of the rotation from the first leg of the India tour. Alongside the trio’s omission, Jos Buttler will also be only available for the first Test.
Bairstow’s omission criticised
Now regardless of this policy being pragmatic or not, some former English cricketers have acutely slammed Jonny Bairstow’s omission. Especially at a time when he had become a vital cog in England’s scintillating series win in Sri Lanka.
There have been some relentless opinions given by former England cricketers. While former captains, Michael Vaughan and Nasser Hussain have called Bairstow’s omission ‘unfair’ to England fans thus making no sense. Another English legend Kevin Pietersen has called the decision as disrespectful to the fans and BCCI.
Undeniably, both Bairstow and Butter’s subsequent omission from the Test series means that England will play their full strength squad in the entire limited-overs series in India. Both players being the impregnable jewels of white-ball set up will allow England to whet their strategies for the upcoming World T20. Not to forget a strenuous IPL where every England cricketer would prefer maximising his opportunities.
How will the new policy affect England cricket?
With a realm of white-ball cricket being played throughout England’s 2021, there’s also a plethora of 17 Test matches. After the Test leg, there come the three arduous months of white-ball cricket until the IPL ends, which does look more mounting if the bio-bubble strains and momentous travel gets counted. And by the time we discuss the English summer, one might start calling ECB’s policy of mid-tour breaks as robust.
Are the mid-tour breaks the way to provide the necessary bolstering the players need as a part of their rejuvenation? Whether England would have an immaculate 2021 in terms of their performances based on this policy? Whether the best players are representing England in a particular tour? All these questions do surmount a lot of scrutinies, but in the times of the pandemic where the living in the bio-bubbles itself looks daunting, ECB’s policy of rotation might be the need to requisite international cricket further.
