England will go into the limited-overs series against Australia without their batting talisman Joe Root after deciding the 24-year-old is in need of a rest before their winter tours to the United Arab Emirates and South Africa.
Root, who is managing a back complaint, has played 101 of England’s 121 games across all formats since his Test debut against India in November 2012 and has sat out only one international – the early-summer ODI in Ireland – since May last year.
It means England will look to topple the world champions, under the captaincy of Steve Smith following Michael Clarke’s post-World Cup retirement, without the batsman who was named their man of the series in their 3-2 Ashes win and has starred in all three formats this summer.
While Root’s omission by the management is understandable the decision to leave out Jonny Bairstow remains more curious given his match-winning performance in the 50-over series decider against New Zealand in June.
Bairstow struck 83 from 60 balls at Chester-le-Street to seal a 3-2 win for Eoin Morgan’s side having been a late replacement for the injured Jos Buttler, but is still regarded as second-choice one-day wicketkeeper and behind Sam Billings and James Taylor in the pecking order for batsmen.
The selectors have continued with the bulk of the squad that lit up the early part of the season in white-ball cricket with Moeen Ali, who missed out against New Zealand to prepare for the Tests, and the fit-again seamer Chris Woakes recalled.
There are places for the uncapped Essex left-armer Reece Topley and Hampshire’s batsman James Vince in the Twenty20 squad for the one-off international in Cardiff on 31 August which precedes the five ODIs that begin in Southampton three days later.
Australia have won the previous four one-day series to follow an Ashes campaign but Morgan’s side have the added incentive of impressing the head coach, Trevor Bayliss, who takes charge of his first limited-overs cricket since arriving in the country at the end of June.
Bayliss, whose appointment in May was largely due to his success in limited-overs cricket, has made good on his promise to remain out of the spotlight having declined an invitation to join the on-field Ashes celebrations that followed the fifth Test’s conclusion on Sunday.
Speaking after the innings defeat at the Kia Oval, the Australian added to the calls for Ian Bell to continue his international career after the 33-year-old batsman, who is a Test specialist these days, admitted he is planning to “take stock over the next few weeks”.
“You look at our batting line-up and without himself and Alastair Cook at the top of the order it is very young and inexperienced,” said Bayliss. “So to go from two experienced batters down to one and none in the middle order would be a hole to fill. You need a mix of experience and youthful enthusiasm, so from that point of view I hope he continues.”
Bayliss also admitted the opener Adam Lyth is likely to be replaced for the winter tours after averaging 20 in his seven Tests this summer. He said: “We all wish him well going forward. I’m sure he’ll play again at some stage. There is a selection meeting in a couple of weeks and I’m sure that position will be looked at, along with a few others.”
England ODI squad Morgan (c), Ali, Billings, Buttler, Finn, Hales, Plunkett, Rashid, Roy, Stokes, Taylor, Willey, Woakes, Wood
England T20 squad Morgan (c), Ali, Billings, Buttler, Finn, Hales, Rashid, Roy, Stokes, Topley, Vince, Willey, Woakes
