The hopes of the England Ashes are likely to vanish if Joe Root or Ben Stokes are injured this summer. Credit: AFP/David Gray
If we were to list the three most important Ashes players this summer, Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Jofra Archer are pretty close to the top.
Without Stokes' inspiring leadership — and the complete absence of an MP , ready to intervene — England's Ashes' hopes will vanish into thin air if he is hurt.
Without Archer, England are losing a bowler of terrific match-winning value and are left to rely on Mark Wood and Ollie Stone for speed, neither of whom has particularly encouraging fitness records.
Without Root's consistency and consistency on No. 4, England are fragile and even more susceptible to sudden collapses in Test matches. It's fun to watch Bazball in all its glory, but Ruth rediscovered his pace for Test cricket at the end of the New Zealand tour and England, even though they almost lost that game, are the better team when he hits like that.< /p>
Stokes, Rob Key and, to a lesser extent, Brandon McCallum (to a lesser extent, because he does not quite understand English cricket yet) understand that the Ashes are the only criterion for the men's test team.
Win this summer and it will be a glorious climax for 'Bazball'. Lose and it won't be the death of their new approach (no one will go back to the old game) but it will be a major setback, a bubble burst that will make Aussies gloat even louder than before.
So the question is, why don't England and the three mentioned at the top give themselves the best chance of enjoying recognition at the Oval in the last week of July?
They will argue. that playing in the IPL, in high-pressure matches, at this point in their long career, gives them more than playing in the championship.
There is some merit in this. But Stokes is injured again and far from England's medical follow-up, even if they are in 'constant dialogue'. with his Chennai Super Kings franchise.
Archer, Will McPherson told Telegraph Sport, flew to Belgium from the IPL to undergo another operation on his right elbow. Now he's back in the IPL, playing for the Mumbai Indians, bowling fast and looking great.
What England would give for that Jofra Archer be available throughout the Ashes? Credit: AFP/Alastair Grant.
But while Mitchell Stark and Pat Cummins are ahead of the Ashes, England's precious fast players (Wood included) are playing in conditions as far from England's Test cricket as can be. get without tangible benefits for English cricket.
Ruth experiences her first IPL but as a teapot boy for the Rajasthan Royals. He apparently shoots a lot, but that can't replicate the difficulties he had with Australia with the Duke's ball in England. His last pitch was at the Wellington Test in February.
Steve Smith and Marnus Labouchagne gave themselves more chances warming up in county cricket than England's top players.
Archer will never be able to again play test cricket. Who can blame him for wanting to build his career in India? But England would like to drop him halfway through the Ashes to win one Test match at a crucial moment. Staying at home, recuperating in England and getting ready for a bowling alley of red ball cricket would be the smartest option.
Stokes could barely walk off the field in Wellington due to a chronic knee injury. He hit one ball very hard and hesitantly for CSK in the IPL and while his latest injury is said to be a toe problem rather than a knee problem, it's still a case of England's most valuable cricketer working for someone . otherwise, and no one knows exactly when he intends to return (he was vague when asked).
Harry Brooke is also in India and is losing confidence as he tries to adjust to the pressure of signing a big money deal overseas. Perhaps the slaps around county attacks (like Ollie Pope and Zack Crowley) would be better than being scrutinized in the world's big leagues as the Ashes approach. Burn-in should be a concern.
The bar of the undefeated ton Harry Brook has struggled for runs in the IPL — not ideal preparation for the home Test series against Australia. Photo: AFP/Dibyangshu Sarkar
But all this is a symptom of a larger reality. England and the ECB have virtually no right to say no to India. The IPL has been selecting their best players ahead of the most anticipated Ashes series since 2005, and they can't do anything about it because of the salary paid and the future opportunities that come with becoming a star in India.
This week, Key acknowledged that the IPL pays Archer two or three times what the ECB does. Stokes sees a long-term future in CSK that guarantees his financial security for life, and IPL will only expand and wages rise.
Instead of repeating the conflict they had with Kevin Pietersen over Ten years ago, the ECB looked at IPL opportunities more realistically, but it would be nice if Ashes took first place, at least this summer. Go home Ben, go home Joe, go home Jofra. Again, in this new world order, this is wishful thinking and outdated thinking.
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