Liam Livingstone and Jos Buttler (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
India will host England for three ODI matches next month and the series assumes significance in the wake of the Champions Trophy scheduled for Pakistan/UAE later in February. India have not played ODI cricket since taking on Sri Lanka in August last year and the series against England will be a good test for the Rohit Sharma-led unit. Although England are ranked number 7 in ODI cricket, they are a formidable force with some big match-winners.
RG looks at 5 English players who could make a mark in the ODI series.
1) JOS BUTTLER
England’s skipper is one of the premier batters of the ODI format in the world with over 5000 runs at an average close to 40 and a scoring rate of 117.11 – it is the second-best scoring rate in the world after Glenn Maxwell! However, Buttler has been in indifferent form and has just scored 303 runs in his last 15 ODI innings at an average of 21.6 and strike rate of 107.8 with just one fifty-plus score in this time-frame.
Interestingly, Buttler has a poor record against India and has mustered just 435 runs in 20 innings at an average of 21.75 with just three fifty-plus scores. His numbers in India are even worse with 221 runs in 16 innings at an average of 13.8. Buttler has not crossed fifty in the country in any ODI encounter!
Buttler is an excellent player of spin though with a tremendous record against leg spin, off-spin and left-arm orthodox. His only apparent weakness is against Chinaman who have dismissed him 4 times in 9 innings at an average of 20 – this makes Buttler’s clash against Kuldeep Yadav a massive one!
2. HARRY BROOK
England’s new batting sensation, Harry Brook, is widely recognized as the best upcoming batter in international cricket today. Brook has had a fine start to his ODI career and has already hammered 719 runs in 20 innings at an average of almost 40 and strike rate of 106.8 with one ton and five fifties. Brook was in scintillating form in his last ODI series – against Australia at home in 2024. He slammed a magnificent unbeaten 110 off just 94 deliveries against Chester-le-Street and followed that with scintillating half-centuries at Lord’s and Bristol.
Brook’s most productive shot is the pull shot which has fetched him 138 runs in just 59 deliveries at an average of 46 and mind-boggling strike rate of 233.9!
3. PHIL SALT
Phil Salt has had a blistering start to his ODI career and already hammered 866 runs in 25 innings at an average of 34.6 and strike rate of 113.9 with one hundred and six fifties. He will provide the impetus in the powerplay where he scores at 117 per hundred deliveries.
Salt is as destructive against pace as he is against spin. However, he has had some issues against left-arm orthodox bowlers who have accounted for his wicket 4 times in 10 innings at an average of just less than 30. Salt is brilliant at the pull shot which has fetched him 156 runs in just 58 deliveries at a strike rate of 269 with just one dismissal.
4. LIAM LIVINGSTONE
Liam Livingstone is yet another English batter who boasts of a scoring rate of in excess of 110 – he has blasted 844 runs in 30 ODI innings at an average of 35.16 and strike rate of 111.5. Livingstone has been in prime form and smashed his maiden ODI ton against West Indies in North Sound in November last year. He hammered an undefeated 124 off just 85 deliveries powering England to a thumping five-wicket win in a stiff chase of 329.
Livingstone is more dangerous against spin against whom he averages a whopping 55.2. Left-arm pacers have troubled him in the past and dismissed Livingstone three times in seven innings at an average of 19.7! This will make his battle with Arshdeep Singh in the death overs a key battle in the series.
5. JOFRA ARCHER
Jofra Archer has just represented England in 27 ODI matches but made a big impact already in his short career. He has picked 47 wickets at a very impressive average of 25.1 and strike rate of 30.1. Archer is also restrictive with a brilliant economy rate of just 5! Archer has the pace and bowls a mean bouncer – it is a big weapon for him and has got him 8 dismissals at an average of 15.9!
Interestingly, Archer does not have a great record in the powerplay. He is a specialist in the death overs (41-50) where he has picked a majority 21 wickets at an average of 13.6, strike rate of 12.8 and excellent economy of 6.4.
Nikhil Narain
