England have added Jordan Cox and Rehan Ahmed to their white-ball squads for the Caribbean tour, which begins next Thursday.
Player Movements And Upcoming Matches
Both Cox and Ahmed are already accompanying England’s Test team in Pakistan. Cox will fly back home after the first day of the series decider in Rawalpindi, while Ahmed is supposed to join the team in the Caribbean later as he was named in England’s XI for the third Test. That would mean Ahmed will likely miss Thursday’s first ODI against West Indies.
Jordan Cox: The Next Star And Wicketkeeper-Batter
Essex wicket-keeper-batter, Cox is set to be put into the frame for a Test debut on England’s New Zealand tour in the wake of the West Indies trip. He may even cut short his time over the Caribbean to get into New Zealand for an unofficial tour game over the weekend of November 23, a few days before the first Test on November 27.
Also Read: IND Vs NZ: Why Has KL Rahul Been Dropped From The 2nd Test?
Cox has recently made his international debut in the T20I series against Australia. Cox will probably get his first ODI cap in the Caribbean, as Jos Buttler has been ruled out due to a calf injury in the ODI leg of the tour. He will also most probably be used as a wicket-keeper in the New Zealand series, as Jamie Smith is on paternity leave and can miss one or more Tests.
Rehan Ahmed: Wristspinner On The Rise
Rehan Ahmed will likely miss at least the opening ODI, which he would have played by his third Test, but his T20I prospects are still undecided. A part of three wrist spinners in the England squads, along with Adil Rashid and the newcomer Yorkshire leg-spinner Jafer Chohan, he has already been involved at first-class level.
Leadership And Additional Players
With this in view, England guaranteed that they would include two Test players in their Caribbean combinations and went ahead to opt for Cox and Ahmed for the task.
Liam Livingstone will lead the side in the three one-day games, with Buttler sitting it out. Essex’s Michael Pepper also joins the team as cover.
West Indies In Preparation
West Indies, who are in a series against Sri Lanka and lost 2-0, play the last on Saturday. After the loss in the ODI series, the team also suffered defeat in the preceding T20I by 2-1, and their squads are yet to be announced for the English tour. Their first ODI will take place in Antigua on October 31 with this tour continuous until the fifth T20I in St Lucia on November 18.
England ODI and T20I Squad: Jos Buttler (C, T20Is), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Jafer Chohan, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone (C, ODI), Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, John Turner.
