England have completed their first post-Bazball series, but are still awaiting the arrival of their new head coach.
While England completed a 3-0 whitewash over Pakistan, many of the same questions awaiting Stephen Fleming on his appointment remain in his in-tray as he takes up the post. While England’s batting lineup now has more shape, and they’ve addressed some of their post-Stokes balance trade-offs, there’s still plenty for him to mull over.
He has a decent gap before his first assignment, with England’s first winter Test series kicking off in South Africa in mid-December. Plenty of key moves could be made in the three months before then.
Who makes up the opening partnership?
Emilio Gay's immediate Test future remains in limbo, having furthered his case with a well-made 60 in the first innings at Edgbaston. Nevertheless, his four-ball duck in the second innings kept him at the top of the list of batters who could miss out when Jacob Bethell returns.
Fleming faces a juggle over who to keep in the top order. Jordan Cox looked arguably the most assured of any batter to come into the side since Bethell, guiding England to victory with an even 59* alongside Joe Root. If Gay is the one to miss out, one of Bethell or Cox will likely have to open. But if Fleming gives Gay another go in South Africa, Cox will once again have to make way at the top of the order.
There’s also Ben Duckett’s position to consider. Although he still has significant credit in the bank, he failed in every one of his innings against Pakistan, and his hundred against New Zealand at Nottingham was his only score above 50 in Tests this summer. While his place shouldn’t be under threat for the South Africa series, an examination under pace-friendly conditions will be a marker for him to meet.
How to achieve a post-Stokes middle-order balance?
Even though Cox looked the most Test ready of any of England’s three draft-ins this summer, he is potentially the most likely to lose his spot. With Bethell set to come straight back in, if his three 50s this summer are enough to convince Fleming he deserves another go in South Africa, there won’t be room for Cox in the top three.
The only other way to keep Cox in the XI would be in the middle order. That would require finding a different solution to their spin and allrounder puzzle than Dan Lawrence. Lawrence looked assured at No.6 against Pakistan, reeling off three half-centuries, the second two of which came at strike-rates near 80. His role with the ball, however, has been limited by conditions, but he took two wickets in five overs at Edgbaston.
It’s likely England will choose to remain with Lawrence, both to keep the balance with an all-rounder in their top six, and to retain their four-man pace attack which has been so effective since it came together. That pushes the batting squeeze back to the top of the order.
Who are the back-up bowlers to the main cast of quicks?
England have rotated their back-up cast to the main set of Ollie Robinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, and Gus Atkinson, in their squads this summer. While Matt Fisher was originally named in the squad for the first two Tests of this series, Sonny Baker was retained over him for the third despite having only been called up as cover for Brydon Carse in the second.
Carse’s place in the puzzle is also uncertain following the investigation launched by the Cricket Regulator into his night out in between the first and second Tests. Equally, Sam Cook has been named in every Test squad this summer, but hasn’t played a game.
Of those who haven’t featured, Olly Stone’s County Championship returns are becoming increasingly hard to ignore, and Henry Crocombe’s dual hat-tricks have pushed him up the pecking order. What that list of reserve quicks looks like, and their order of succession, will be one of Fleming’s first tasks to tick off when naming his squad for South Africa.
Who is England’s first-choice spinner away from home?
One of the biggest questions coming into the Pakistan series was how England were going to achieve depth in their pace attack in the absence of Stokes. The answer was picking four specialist seamers at the expense of a spinner, which has worked well in English conditions. However, England will visit Bangladesh this winter, where they will need to adapt that strategy.
While Shoaib Bashir has spent the summer in and out of Test squads, other names from the county scene have been floated, like Liam Patterson-White who is currently leading the wicket-taking charts among spinners in division one. A resurgence of Jack Leach also shouldn’t be ruled out as the senior figure, while Rehan Ahmed is also waiting in the wings. Fleming will be the latest figure to try and shape England’s long term spin strategy.
What is England’s post-Bazball identity?
The Pakistan series provided some answers to what England’s Test team could look like in a post-Bazball world. While still fluid, the top six has a better shape to it, and picking four pacers worked. However, there are still macro questions to be answered.
England’s tactics to the tail in Pakistan’s second innings at Edgbaston mirrored those of the Stokes era, and could have cost them the game. Root and Cox’s measured approach to the final chase after its frenetic start was an encouraging response to a crisis. But there will be greater tests than that, and how England respond when put under pressure has to be the greatest change from the Bazball era.
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