Five alternatives for Keaton Jennings

Ever since former England captain Andrew Strauss retired five years ago, the selectors have struggled to provide an ideal partner for Alastair Cook at the top of the order. The number of openers England have so far used since Strauss quit international cricket comprises an entire playing eleven: Nick Compton, Joe Root, Michael Carberry, Sam Robson, Jonathan Trott, Adam Lyth, Moeen Ali, Alex Hales, Ben Duckett, Haseeb Hameed and Keaton Jennings.

The latest of those, Jennings made his Test debut in India during the previous winter. After cracking a hundred in his maiden Test innings, he strongly staked a claim for the spot that had bothered England for years. But since that memorable debut knock, Jennings has struggled to cement his place at the top. He has passed fifty only once in nine innings, and there are concerns regarding his habit of getting stuck at the crease against pace, which allows for little foot movement.

After five Tests, Jennings averages a paltry 25.90 and has fallen woefully short of the high expectations which his first Test innings brought on him.

Though Jennings has been named in the squad for the final Test against South Africa at Old Trafford, his place seems to be hanging by a thread. And as England aim to retain the Ashes Down Under, we mention five possible replacements for the 25-year-old.

#5 James Hildreth

Right-hander James Hildreth brings a wealth of experience following 228 first-class games for Somerset. His polished technique and perfect temperament always drew attention but never gained its share of appeal. Brimming with talent and ability, Hildreth somehow always fell short of an England call-up, owing largely to his frailties against the short ball.

Runs in multiple seasons for his county meant he had enough opportunities to grab the limelight as part of various junior England squads. In 2009, Hildreth slammed a career-best 303*, and the following year, produced 1,440 runs at 65.45 that included seven centuries.

A domestic average always crawling towards 40 before being pulled back again by inconsistent performances, perhaps he did not do justice to the exemplary batting surface that Taunton provided – a ground considered a paradise for shooting batting careers up the ladder.

Despite that, there is a good chance the national selectors could finally turn their eyes towards Hildreth, albeit as an opener.

What might count against him, however, would not only be the fact that Jonathan Trott’s promotion from number three to opener failed to pay dividends in 2015, but also that he celebrates his 33rd birthday come September. Unlikely to make his England debut, Hildreth’s only contribution for the senior side might remain Ricky Ponting’s catch at Lord’s, which he took as a substitute fielder in the 2005 Ashes.

#4 Adam Lyth

Adam Lyth hit 107 in only his second Test, but was dropped after Australia exposed his weaknesses

Yet another Yorkshire boy possessing immense potential, Lyth started out with the typical modern-day approach of attacking the new ball early with extravagant shots; but control soon arrived, and he blossomed in his county’s successful Championship season in 2014.

That fruitful year, Lyth struck 1,489 runs at 67.68 to knock on the England selectors’ doors, particularly with the 2015 Ashes looming. The style of left-handed Lyth was easy on the eye and his game matured in the company of the more established Joe Root, who now captains England in Test cricket.

In 2010, Lyth lit up county cricket with 1,509 runs, but only patches of glory mingled with numerous soft dismissals often turned eyeballs the other way. Two seasons later, he entered the history books by smashing 248*, thus recording the highest score by any Yorkshire opener to have ended up carrying his bat.

When 2013 began, Lyth achieved the distinction of being selected for each of the 16 Championship games for his county. When a Test debut finally arrived in 2015, the southpaw hit 107 in just his second Test, but faded away as Australia’s pace battery exposed his weaknesses.

Though a below-par Test average of 20.38 after seven games is no great show, prior experience in top flight cricket can prove to be the reason why Lyth might edge past some of his other competitors for the opener’s slot.

#3 Sam Robson

Sam Robson hit a century for England early in his career, but a loss of form saw him return to county cricket

Migrating from Australia in search of more opportunities – he even represented his country of birth at the Under-19 level – Robson gained from having an English mother. Having first represented his county Middlesex in 2009, a sound defence and a clean drive characterized Robson, who enjoyed the 2013 County Championship season, compiling 1,180 runs while averaging 47.

He carried that positive momentum into the England Performance Programme squad’s visit to Australia, whose pitches, naturally, Robson already knew by heart, and then to Sri Lanka, where he played for the England Lions team.

An aggregate of five hundreds across both tours brought Robson on the selectors' radar, and the fact that by August 2013 he had completed the required criteria to be eligible to represent his adopted nation meant he was not far from an England debut.

Like Adam Lyth, he soon found himself wearing the England whites, when he appeared in his first Test against Sri Lanka in 2014; like Lyth, he cracked a ton, which went in vain, in only his second Test; and like Lyth, found himself back to playing county cricket after merely seven Tests.

However, unlike Lyth, Robson has amassed 534 runs this Championship season at an impressive average of 59.33, including scores of 149 and 159.

Hence, there is every chance that England could return to their discarded opener, especially as they are to visit his native Australia for the Ashes later this year.

#2 Mark Stoneman

Mark Stoneman is in great form in county cricket, and smacked a career-best 197 this season

Switching over to Surrey from Durham for the 2017 County Championship seems to have reaped immediate rewards for left-hander Mark Stoneman. Already the third-highest run-getter this season, Stoneman continues to build a reputation for being one of the most potent opening batsmen in England.

Aged 30, his desire to step out in England colours has not waned – a forceful factor in Stoneman moving south to Surrey. Heaps of runs – 761 at 58.53 – in his first spell at his new county swings the pendulum in his favour to nail a spot which has changed hands an unbelievable number of times in half a decade.

A fluent batsman, he was also given command of Durham when Paul Collingwood was away due to an injury in the first-class competition, while as the one-day captain, he led Durham to victory in the Royal London Cup in 2014. Two years earlier, the county had chosen him as the Batsman of the Year, and he further grew in stature when he completed 1,000 runs in consecutive seasons in 2012 and 2013.

At just the exact time to allow Stoneman the exposure of international cricket, if England look elsewhere instead of someone who achieved his highest first-class score of 197 this year, they may have missed an opportunity to blood in the enthusiasm of a man dying to play for his country.

#1 Haseeb Hameed

Haseeb Hameed impressed on his England debut in India last year, when he hit two half-centuries

A Lancashire prodigy to have represented six different age group sides, Hameed made his first-class debut as recently as August 2015. Only four games that season were enough to indicate the emergence of a confident teenager as he planted a calm 91 in just his third appearance. Hameed’s crafty batting made an early impression, as his natural ability to block as well as drive pleased experts, especially considering his tender age.

Hameed accumulated over 1,000 runs during the 2016 campaign, thus becoming the youngest Lancastrian to the landmark. Hameed maintains discipline while producing elegant cover drives, and while still only 19, and after a sparkling first full season at Old Trafford, he eventually made his Test debut in the first Test in India.

Encountering the threat of spinning pitches flawlessly, Hameed got a composed 82 to confirm his maturity. But a broken finger ruled him out of the final two Tests, as he valiantly got an unbeaten 59 despite the injury in Mohali.

Unfortunately for Hameed, he lost form in county cricket right at the wrong time with England due to name their squad for the South Africa series, and combined with Keaton Jennings’ debut hundred, Hameed missed out on selection.

But there lies a genuine possibility of a reversal especially if Jennings flops again and Hameed is given a second go considering his positive attitude with the bat.