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From 2nd June 2021, England will embark on one of their most arduous Test journeys in a calendar year – one that would culminate with an Ashes Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In fact, since the start of 2021, England have been playing a significant amount of Test cricket, having already participated in rubbers against India (in February and March) and Sri Lanka (in January).
Thus, if all goes to plan, England would be involved in 16 Tests throughout 2021 – an aspect that will most certainly leave cricketers fatigued and might even push them to the verge of wanting a break.
To be fair to the England Cricket Board, they’ve tried to accommodate all those requests and have even been compassionate themselves, often allowing the English players time away from the game.
Though England’s “rest and rotation” policy has attracted more eyeballs than what would’ve been perceived ideal, it certainly has enabled them to keep their cricketers fresh, especially with massive Test assignments against Australia and India looming.
The aforementioned strategy has also opened up several doors for the Three Lions to give fringe players international exposure – something that might not have come about had their first-choice side been made available.
Furthermore, with the T20 World Cup on the horizon in October-November and with England trying to complete their limited-overs double, they’ve perhaps been less prone to rotation in ODIs and T20Is. Hence, the likes of Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali (at least in T20Is), Sam Billings and Tom Banton haven’t been accorded as many chances in white-ball cricket.
Yet, courtesy the presence of these players, plenty have remarked that England have one of the best groups of white-ball cricketers across the planet. Not just because they’ve performed whenever called upon, but also because their exploits elsewhere (read franchise T20 leagues) have suggested their readiness for international cricket.
The same though, can’t really be said of their fortunes in Test cricket, simply because England haven’t trampled opposition Test outfits in recent times. While they did get the better of Pakistan and the West Indies in 2020, their record against some of the bigger teams (Australia, India and New Zealand) has been patchy at best.
Thus, as things stand, there remains skepticism around England’s ability to come up trumps against top-drawer outfits of Australia, India and New Zealand’s ilk. To that end then, the upcoming series against the Black Caps perhaps represents the perfect opportunity to erase that blot.
More importantly though, courtesy of their squad selection for the Kiwis’ visit, the rubber could be the best possible platform for England to flaunt their depth in Test cricket.
Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler will not feature for England against New Zealand
To place things into context, England have opted against including most IPL-bound cricketers, meaning that Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali and Sam Curran weren’t considered.
While Archer and Stokes wouldn’t have been available anyway, Bairstow (maybe), Buttler, Curran, Moeen and Woakes would definitely have featured at some juncture.
In their absence, the likes of Craig Overton, Dan Lawrence, Dom Sibley, James Bracey, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Olly Stone and potentially Sam Billings have a bit of scope to stake their claims.
Of the aforementioned, England might particularly be excited by the prospect of Mark Wood running in and performing a role that would mirror what Neil Wagner does for New Zealand.
In the away series against India, Mark Wood was rested, meaning that Olly Stone was roped into the side. The latter might also be licking his lips at getting another shot at Test cricket.
Ollie Robinson, on the other hand, comes into the series having accumulated tons of scalps in First Class cricket. At the moment, he averages 21.04, having taken 279 wickets across 110 innings. In fact, he is riding such a wave of confidence that he has already outlined how he intends to dismiss Kane Williamson.
Similarly, Craig Overton is in the midst of a purple patch, having bagged 36 wickets in six First-Class matches this season. Moreover, he has a point to prove having been cast aside after playing just four Tests for England between December 2017 and September 2019.
James Bracey, meanwhile, has come into his own recently and seems to be repaying the faith Gloucestershire have shown in him since his debut and subsequent earmarking as a precocious talent. And with Ben Foakes’ slippery sock rendering him unfit, James Bracey might get his first international gig against the Kiwis.
As for Dan Lawrence and Dom Sibley, well, both batters are trying to repair their reputations after they took a beating in the sub-continent. While both produced moments of brilliance on the tours to India and Sri Lanka, neither was able to truly realize his potential, meaning that both, despite being guaranteed playing time, might still have the axe hovering above their head.
The fortunate facet for England, though, is that most of these incumbents have arrived in the English camp bristling with confidence. Confidence that has been accrued either due to a surge in performance or due to an unexpected opportunity coming their way.
On that front then, England might be happy that they’d be able to groom a few youngsters in a series that isn’t a part of the next World Test Championship cycle and may even be a glorified sparring session before the Black Caps take on India.
Nevertheless, for England, it provides them with a novel opening to showcase that they, in contrast to common notions, have the requisite depth to be able to field different teams for different formats.
So far, only India have managed to gain that distinction, although there have been murmurs that England are agonizingly close to breaching that barrier. For it to gain weight, the Three Lions simply must put their best foot forward against New Zealand. And, of course, hope that their fringe players portray the craft, guile and grit required for international cricket.
Months ago, when the series between England and New Zealand was announced, it was looked upon as one that would just increase the Three Lions’ Test burden and further cram their already hectic schedule.
Now though, with the IPL being postponed and most of England’s IPL-bound players being available yet being rested, the Three Lions have actually placed their faith and trust in cricketers that would be chomping at the bit to make an impression.
That it also allows England to flaunt their all-format depth (prospectively at least), perhaps serves as the cherry on top of their cake.
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