After all the skepticism regarding security, England finally seem to be thinking about cricket The side heads for their tour to Bangladesh with captain Jos Buttler announcing that Durham all-rounder, Ben Stokes, would be the vice-captain for the three-match ODI series.
Buttler believes Stokes' aggressive approach will auger well for England's newfound attitude to the white-ball game and was quoted by the Telegraph as saying. “He’s got a great cricket brain and when he speaks you listen.”
Buttler also added, “He’s got some good ideas, he’s very passionate and I think the intensity he brings to English cricket is great. My experience of playing with him in the last six to 12 months is that he’s got some real leadership qualities and he drags guys along with him.”
Stokes, along with Root, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes have been awarded full-time England contracts, which the ECB have renamed Test and White Ball contracts. The full-time contract plus the elevation to Vice-Captaincy shows England’s eagerness to push Stokes into the senior fray.
Also read: Injured Anderson to miss Bangladesh tour - report
England’s woes last summer were mainly in the fielding department and Stokes’ absence was a huge void. His strong arm and catching were sorely missed during the summer, where he hardly played due to an injury. Stokes will be expected to pull together the group and set an example while on the field.
Meanwhile, Buttler, who has toured Bangladesh three times earlier, is aware that England may need to tone down the aggression to adapt to the conditions. A batsman normally needs “10 to 15 balls” before he can find the middle of the bat on the slow pitches in Bangladesh.
Ben Duckett and Sam Billings, the likely replacements for Eoin Morgan and Joe Root, prefer to attack from the word go. They may need to see about their approach in this part of the World.
Also read: No England blacklist for Eoin Morgan, says Andrew Strauss
"There's some exciting guys coming in, like Ben Duckett and Sam Billings has been around for a long time as well. Jonny (Bairstow) is in the squad as well so he's possibly someone who can bat at four. And I could potentially play the same role or I could potentially move up. We have to think about the balance of the side as well, if we want three spin options and how you fit those in. That number four spot is going to be very important. Top-order runs are vital, vital to our success and we'll have a bit more of a chat to Trevor about that. It's going to be a big spot with some guys who want to put their hands up for that role", Buttler said about the no.4 slot left vacant by Morgan’s absence.
The England cricket team arrive in Bangladesh to play two Tests and three ODIs. The team is scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport amidst heavy security. The series will begin on the 7 October with the first two ODIs being held in Dhaka and the final ODI in Chittagong. The Tests are scheduled to take place in Chittagong and Dhaka.
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