England Women will play their first T20I for 10 months today (May 20) as their build-up for the home World Cup begins in earnest.
Having drawn their 50-over series against New Zealand, the squad for this series more or less mirrors the one selected for the T20 World Cup next month, and this will be the first of two series they will contest before the tournament. With such a big gap between the last time they played the format and now, these six matches are a chance for Charlotte Edwards to work out how the winter's planning works in practice before her charges step out on the biggest stage.
Will their captain be fully fit?
The biggest set-back to England's preparations is the news that the injury their captain sustained playing county cricket ahead of the international summer requires a longer rehab period than previously thought. Nat Sciver-Brunt was ruled out of the New Zealand ODIs with a calf injury, but has now been confirmed to miss both the T20I leg of that series, and the T20I series against India. As the ballast in England's side as well as her on-field captaincy role, Sciver-Brunt's absence means England won't be able to field their best and most balanced XI before their opening T20 World Cup match.
While there is no suggestion at this stage that Sciver-Brunt's injury could keep her out of the World Cup, it's a situation England must find a contingency plan for. Sciver-Brunt also missed time injured last summer, and didn't bowl at all in the lead up to the 50-over World Cup. The fitness of their seam-bowling all-rounders Dani Gibson and Freya Kemp will be a boost in covering for Sciver-Brunt's absence, but won't replace Sciver-Brunt's role with the bat.
Will the whole squad be available?
England had a depleted squad available to them for the ODIs. Alice Capsey missed the first game of the summer through illness, while Issy Wong missed out after experiencing discomfort in her hamstring. While Capsey was fit enough to play the final match of the series, and Wong will be available for the first T20I against New Zealand, getting everyone through the T20I series in one piece will be a priority.
Gibson, Kemp and Capsey?
England have their two highly prized seam-bowling allrounders fully fit together for the first time, a huge boost to their tournament planning. Kemp provides a desperately needed left-hander in England's batting lineup, while Gibson gives power down the order. It's likely that England will want to field both in the same side, especially with a view to fit three spinners into their bowling attack. This could squeeze out Alice Capsey, and it looks tough for all three allrounders to play in the same side.
However, if Sciver-Brunt is fit to bowl, then there's more scope to fit her in as an extra spin-bowling all-rounder who bats in the middle-order, an addition to two seam-bowling all-rounders in Sciver-Brunt and one of Gibson or Kemp.
All three left-arm spinners in the same side?
Edwards was keen to emphasise the differences between all three of the left-arm spinners she selected in her T20 World Cup squad. While there's a clear difference between Linsey Smith and Sophie Ecclestone, the former a slower option who generates less turn compared to Ecclestone's rip and height, it's harder to see where Tilly Corteen-Coleman fits. In some ways, she's more similar in build and style to Ecclestone, but she also bowls a lot in the powerplay for Surrey. Charlie Dean will also likely fit into England's best XI and, it's hard to picture four specialist spinners in the same side. It's likely England with give Ecclestone and Dean priority, before making a call between Smith and Corteen-Coleman.
Who bowls at the death?
England have been running through their options at the death over the last year. Lauren Bell is one option, bowling at either end of the innings, while Issy Wong is also another. Fitting Wong in the side when playing three specialist spinners is another challenge, however. If England go with Bell as their one pace specialist, that would leave them weighing up their spinners and all-rounders at the end of the innings. Gibson would likely be the preferred option of the all-rounders, having done the same role previously in 2024, while how England decide to use Ecclestone could also see her as an option at the death.
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