Nasser Hussain has asked Joe Root to return to the ODI team, he also insisted for some kind of clarity on their roles for the 50-over format. For him, Ben Stokes’s availability in the ODI format still remain uncertain.
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“Joe Root, when that collapse was happening. He may have been, he would have been one, who would have been like ‘woah it is spinning now. We were hitting down the ground. We are going to have sweeps and reverse sweeps. Get our scores down a bit and go for 350 instead of 400’. He would have used his nous. He is such a good player of spin.”
Hussain believes that Root would have been invaluable for England in the fifth ODI against Australia at Bristol. The middle overs proved havoc to the English batsmen. The Champions Trophy 2025 is going to be held on most spin-friendly pitches, and it’s going to be a crucible for Root.
“The Champions Trophy is in Pakistan, it will be played in spinning conditions, sub-continent, you would want Root around. I would have definitely had Root back in the side. Once you get those decision out of the way then you fill the gaps.”
Will Ben Stokes Make An ODI Comeback?
England were disappointed by loss against Australia in the recently concluded five-match ODI series. Jos Buttler was injured and out of the remainder of this series, Harry Brook led a side who overturned a 0-2 scoreline to level the series at 2-2 going into the deciding fifth match. Since the ODI World Cup in 2023, Root hasn’t been selected for the England ODI team perhaps deserving some well-timed rest after an arduous but triumphant summer of English cricket.
“Buttler comes back, Stokes has said if asked he will come back, and then there is Root. They are brilliant white-ball players. They deserve the right to know what their position is – they are Joe Root and Ben Stokes. Do we want them back? That is they key decision McCullum and Buttler have to make,” Hussain told Sky Sports.
Uncertainty Looms Over Ben Stokes’ Availability in ODI
While Hussain wasn’t sure about Ben Stokes’ availability in the ODI team, he mentioned that Stokes had indeed returned from retirement to feature at the ODI World Cup 2023 in India. He admitted that workload management is crucially important considering Stokes will also be England’s Test captain and also an all-rounder after overcoming his injury.
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“Stokes, I am a bit worried about workload – and now he is a complete all-rounder if he comes back. He is Test match captain and all-rounder which is so important. You want to use him in as many Test matches as possible.”
