***official*** England whiteball tour of india January 2025***

[mackembhoy]

Player of the tournament in a successful 2022 World T20 cup campaign, only 26 years of age currently, good lower order hitter, can give a left arm variation and been successful in this format across all leagues and internationals. Still doesn't find a place while the team continues to struggle.

Because his bowling has been rubbish since then and he bats in the top 4 now in domestic T20.

So he's yet another not playing the role domestically so you can't then expect him to just slot in and do it internationally.

 

[mackembhoy]

I wouldn't mind if batting 7 meant innings finisher, but in this England side, it's more mid innings re-builder!!

That's a very good point mind.

But part of that is because like I said we've got a bunch of square pegs trying to fit into round holes.

All of Salt, Duckett, Buttler, Brook and Livingstone generally open domestically. So your playing people where they have had no practice in that role.

Buttler is the best of all of them by a mile and it's daft he's not opening.

I'd turf Salt out of the side as he's been rubbish against everyone but Windies in T20I and Netherlands in ODI. I know Jos ain't keeping but Salt is a weak link.

I'd go for the below to try and get it as close to round pegs in round holes as we can get.

Buttler
Duckett
Livingstone
Brook
Smith
Bethell
Overton
Carse
Archer
Rashid
Mahmood

 

[Molehill]

That's a very good point mind.

But part of that is because like I said we've got a bunch of square pegs trying to fit into round holes.

All of Salt, Duckett, Buttler, Brook and Livingstone generally open domestically. So your playing people where they have had no practice in that role.

Buttler is the best of all of them by a mile and it's daft he's not opening.

I'd turf Salt out of the side as he's been rubbish against everyone but Windies in T20I and Netherlands in ODI. I know Jos ain't keeping but Salt is a weak link.

I'd go for the below to try and get it as close to round pegs in round holes as we can get.

Buttler
Duckett
Livingstone
Brook
Smith
Bethell
Overton
Carse
Archer
Rashid
Mahmood

I'd switch Bethell and Livingstone around. Bethell's been batting 3 for Renegades and put a couple of decent knocks together. Livingstone should just be used for hitting 6's in the last 5 overs, he can't be trusted for anything else. Smith can obviously take the gloves.

 

[Burgey]

So he's yet another not playing the role domestically so you can't then expect him to just slot in and do it internationally.

Why not? He’s done it before

 

[mackembhoy]

Why not? He’s done it before

In his last 10 T20s for Vipers and England he's mainly batted 4-5

His top 3 scores for England in T20I have also come batting 4-5

So I don't think he's a very good option at 6 or 7. He averages 7 at 94 SR at 6 and 13 at 113 at 7 for England.

So he's clearly not suited to the finisher role.

 

[mackembhoy]

I'd switch Bethell and Livingstone around. Bethell's been batting 3 for Renegades and put a couple of decent knocks together. Livingstone should just be used for hitting 6's in the last 5 overs, he can't be trusted for anything else. Smith can obviously take the gloves.

Bethell bats at 5 for Warwickshire and his 100 team.

Of Livingstone top 13 scores only 1 came from batting lower than 4.

10 of them came batting in top 3(8 of them from opening)

Livingstone highest scores in T20s

 

[FBU]

Dawson (5) 8 wickets at 12.62 econ 5.61
3rd best wicket taker for SA T20

 

[Molehill]

Bethell bats at 5 for Warwickshire and his 100 team.

Of Livingstone top 13 scores only 1 came from batting lower than 4.

10 of them came batting in top 3(8 of them from opening)

Livingstone highest scores in T20s

It's obvious that everybody's best scores will come at the top of the order in T20's. It doesn't mean that Livingstone is better for the role than someone else. He's had too many opportunities now, yesterday's 2 ball farce was pretty horrific. He could be the equivalent of Tim David, give him the last 5 overs and hope he can smash a few 6's (and that is an important role too). An innings of substance generally seems beyond his capability.

 

[mackembhoy]

It's obvious that everybody's best scores will come at the top of the order in T20's. It doesn't mean that Livingstone is better for the role than someone else. He's had too many opportunities now, yesterday's 2 ball farce was pretty horrific. He could be the equivalent of Tim David, give him the last 5 overs and hope he can smash a few 6's (and that is an important role too). An innings of substance generally seems beyond his capability.

Btw Bethell batted at 4 for Renegades. So I don't think he's ever batted in top 3 in T20.

I think Livingstone is wasted at 6 as he just turns into a filthy slogger.