Joe Root Back In ENG ODI Squad For Champions Trophy And India Tour

England’s squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy and the India tour has been announced, marking the return of Joe Root to the ODI fold after more than a year’s absence. Root, who has not been a part of England’s white-ball plans since the 2023 ODI World Cup, will now be a part of the squad for the ODI series in India and the prestigious Champions Trophy, scheduled to take place in February 2025. His inclusion is one of the key decisions made by Brendon McCullum, the newly appointed head coach for both the white-ball and red-ball teams.

Joe Root’s Return After a Year’s Absence

Joe Root, who turns 34 next month, is set to return to ODI cricket after being absent since the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in India. Even though he had stayed away from white-ball cricket, it has been an excellent year for Root in Test format in 2024. He concludes the year as the ranked number-1 Test batsman, having compiled 1,556 runs during the calendar year with a highly impressive average of 55.57. In this tally he includes six centuries, pointing out how well he’s still faring in the game’s longest format.

However, Joe Root’s comeback to the one-day side is after the ODI World Cup’s disastrous campaign where he only managed to score 276 runs in 9 innings at an average of just 30.66, which is way below his career ODI average of 47.60. However, Root has proven his consistency in white-ball cricket, and with his form in Test, he will be a prime asset for England in their limited-overs series coming up.

Ben Stokes Injury and McCullum’s Vision for Unity

While the return of Root is a great morale booster, Ben Stokes, the hero of England’s 2019 World Cup victory and their 2023 World Cup win, will not be a part of the team that will tour India or the Champions Trophy. Stokes, who has been battling a hamstring injury, was expected to make his return to the side but has been ruled out for the time being. This news comes as a disappointment for England, but McCullum’s focus remains on building a unified team for both white-ball and red-ball cricket.

McCullum’s strategy has been to maintain continuity between formats, and his recent squad selections reflect this. For the India tour and Champions Trophy, McCullum has called up a mix of established players, many of whom also featured in the 2024 Test series. Out of the 15 players selected for the ODI squad, 8 players were also part of the Test side this year, highlighting McCullum’s desire to maintain cohesion across formats.

England’s Pace Attack: Jofra Archer’s Crucial Return

One of the major highlights of England’s squad is the inclusion of Jofra Archer, who has now fully recovered from his injury issues. Archer’s return is seen as a game-changer for England, especially with the Champions Trophy on the horizon. Archer’s speed and ability to bowl above 90 miles per hour make him a goldmine, especially for a tournament like the Champions Trophy. England will be looking forward to the hope that he can repeat his past performance and give them the extra depth in their pace arsenal.

A Look at England’s ODI and T20 Squads

McCullum’s team has a mix of experience and youth. Sam Curran, the Player of the Tournament in the 2022 T20 World Cup, has been shockingly excluded from both the ODI and T20 teams, while Reece Topley, a left-arm fast bowler who was a key man in England’s bowling lineup, is also missing. The selectors have chosen to include a powerful pace attack, with five fast bowlers, all capable of bowling in excess of 90 miles per hour.

In the spin department, it is Adil Rashid who is a frontline spinner for England with the young Rehan Ahmed coming in as back-up for the T20I series to be played against India. Joe Root, traditionally being a middle-order batter does have some spin options as well if required. Other all-rounders like Liam Livingstone, and the emerging Jacob Bethell would help in providing depth in the team.

England’s ODI and T20 Squads for India Tour and Champions Trophy

– England’s ODI Squad for the India Tour and Champions Trophy:

– Jos Buttler (Captain)
– Jofra Archer
– Gus Atkinson
– Jacob Bethell
– Harry Brook
– Braden Carse
– Ben Duckett
– Jamie Overton
– Jamie Smith
– Liam Livingstone
– Adil Rashid
– Joe Root
– Saqib Mahmood
– Phil Salt
– Mark Wood

England’s T20 Squad for the India Tour:
– Jos Buttler
– Rehan Ahmed
– Jofra Archer
– Gus Atkinson
– Jacob Bethell
– Harry Brook
– Braden Carse
– Ben Duckett
– Jesse Overton
– Jamie Smith
– Liam Livingstone
– Adil Rashid
– Saqib Mahmood
– Phil Salt
– Mark Wood

Challenges to be Faced: Indian Tour and Champions Trophy

England’s tour of India is going to be a tough test as the team is scheduled to play a five-match T20I series starting on January 22, 2025, followed by the ODI series, beginning on February 6, 2025, in Nagpur. This will be an important build-up to the Champions Trophy, which is scheduled for February.

The side that is going to be facing England in the Champions Trophy has a good balance of youth and experience. Players like Joe Root and Jofra Archer will surely give the team the much-needed confidence to challenge the best teams in the world. However, Stokes’s absence will be felt sorely, but the depth in the squad and the leadership provided by McCullum should give England a solid base for their limited-overs campaign.

For now, fans will be eagerly anticipating the first ODI versus India, where England will welcome back Jos Buttler after a year layoff with injury, against a promising new-look side. The excitement only builds on both the tour of India and the Champions Trophy in preparation for the challenges of international cricket in 2025.

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