In a 50-over warm-up match in Perth on Saturday, England defeated Western Australia to begin their tour of Australia. Before the first ODI against Australia on Friday, paceman Jofra Archer’s workload in the warm-up match will have impressed the visitors.
Tongue had skipped the T20I matches as a precaution and was only chosen for the ODI portion of the trip. The management feels confident that the current group has enough depth to cover his absence, since England stated on the same day that no replacement would be invited into the squad. Both Stephen Fleming, the red-ball head coach, and Brendon McCullum, the white-ball head coach, are travelling with the touring group.
The revelation that fast bowler Josh Tongue will miss the three-match ODI series due to a toe injury has dealt England a blow ahead of their white-ball contests in Australia. In three games against a strong Australian team, England’s fast bowling unit will have to shoulder Tongue’s workload without him.
With Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Jamie Overton, and Henry Crocombe as seam alternatives, McCullum has a respectable variety of speed options at his disposal. The management’s faith in the depth of the current squad is demonstrated by England’s choice not to call up a replacement. Once the starting lineup is announced for the first game of the three-match series, which starts in Perth on November 13, the attack’s makeup will be attentively monitored.
England Squad for Australia Series:
Harry Brook (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jordan Cox, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root
