Yes agree with those last few posts. Buttler should have been promoted up the order when Ravi was last year. If we make the quarters I'd definitely gamble at Buttler at 5 and just tell him to play naturally. He's the one guy that could win England the game. Morgan and Bopara are better off coming in later. I'll cry if Buttler is still at 7 this summer.
Aside from this and not really related to the world cup but more long term I've two questions of which I'm not sure
1) Could Root open or go 3 in ODI cricket? and would it be worth it?
2) Could Moeen become a decent middle order odi bat? Would it be worth it?
Not necessarily talking about reversing their positions. I was just looking at combinations of teams they could put out after the world cup.
Regarding the Root question. He's done really well at 4 (plays the middle overs well and can accelerate/ has variety in closing overs) but I feel he is better suited higher in the order than Taylor. Taylor really struggles against seam with the field up early but like Root is decent in the middle overs and in the closing overs. Root isn't great in the early powerplays and enjoys the field being back but he's a better bet than Taylor in the first 25 overs imo (and obviously last 25). Could Root be the guy to open (with a Hales or Roy) and play through the innings gradually accelerating or should we just let him be at 4 where he is doing well?
Say something like Root, Hales, Roy, Taylor, Buttler, Ali, Billings, Woakes, Wood, Dunn, Topley
or Roy, Vince, Root, Stokes, Buttler, Morgan, Billings, Willey, Jordan, tredwell,Finn.