ENGLAND’S bowlers found life tough in the Test series against India bowling to the immense talent of Virat Kohli, and matters did not improve in the first two one-day internationals. The Three Lions were able to put over 350 runs on the board with relative ease in both matches, but due to the deficiencies in the bowling department Kohli’s men were able to secure the victories.
Only Chris Woakes was able to stem the tide in both contests, notching four wickets in England’s defeat in Cuttack, including the prized scalp of the opposition skipper. However, support for the 28-year-old was not forthcoming from the rest of the attack as Jake Ball took a step back from his decent display in the opener, while Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett struggled immensely.
Eoin Morgan’s men face a massive challenge to avoid a whitewash and are currently backed in the latest bet365 cricket betting odds at 13/8 to win the third match in Kolkata. However, the Three Lions do have questions regarding the long-term future of their bowling attack, with issues with their pacemen and their spinners ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy later this year.
Mark Wood would be in the line-up had he remained fit, unfortunately for England the fast bowler has struggled with injuries since making his breakthrough in 2015. The 27-year-old has been dogged with ailments throughout his career with Durham and it appears hit fitness could limit his chances on the international stage.
It’s a massive shame as he would have been extremely useful in the sub-continent with his pace and ability to bowl yorkers, offering a different dimension to rest of the attack. Given the fact that the Champions Trophy is on home soil for England this year, they may not need to rush him back given the fact that David Willey and Ball have enjoyed themselves in familiar conditions, but for the Ashes and the series beyond the competition they will need his variety, particularly in Australia.
Stuart Broad expressed his desire to return to the one-day international fold, but Trevor Bayliss revealed that the 30-year-old was not selected into the squad based on merit. However, with a busy schedule leading up the Ashes it may not behove the Three Lions to overload one of the senior paceman, especially considering James Anderson’s battle with injuries over the past year. Broad would certainly add experience and guile to the attack, although given his age and importance to the Test team it might not be worth it in the long run.
The enigma that is Steven Finn could also be an option for Bayliss, Morgan and Andrew Strauss to turn back to, although his inconsistencies have been well documented. It was not so long ago that he was one of the highest-ranked bowlers in the ODI format, but his fragility with his rhythm and confidence have seen him drop out of favour due to his lack of dependability. It’s not out of the question for him to enjoy a late resurgence, although until he proves it for a stretch of games, Bayliss and Strauss are unlikely to turn back to the Middlesex man.
