England return to the Caribbean for one more white-ball series against the West Indies which starts on Thursday with the primary of three ODIs.
The tourists are light on star power because the likes of Ben Stokes, Harry Brook and Joe Root miss out because of the recent end to the Pakistan Test trip and the injured Jos Buttler is absent for the ODI series.
Here, we glance among the talking points of the trip which also includes five T20s.
Caribbean fatigue
England’s third visit to the Caribbean in 11 months amid an unrelenting pre-Christmas itinerary feels especially superfluous.
The well-worn upshot of tours rubbing up against one another – as this one does with the Pakistan Test trip – is a few of England’s best players are unavailable for what’s their penultimate ODI task before the Champions Trophy.
The inexperience of the group is once more highlighted by leg-spinner Adil Rashid being their leading ODI run-scorer and the untried quartet of Dan Mousley, Michael Pepper, John Turner and Jafer Chohan may get the chance to strut their stuff.
Livingstone the leader
Cricket has had its unpredictable moments in the previous couple of weeks and never many top Livingstone taking temporary charge of England’s ODI team due to Buttler’s nagging calf injury.
It was only a couple of weeks ago the all-rounder was initially dropped for Australia’s visit only to barge his way back in following a few brutish T20 knocks and an injury setback for Buttler.
He capitalised by making the fastest ODI fifty at Lord’s, brutalising the scary Mitchell Starc for 28 in an over.
Livingstone has some captaincy experience in domestic cricket and is now one in all the senior heads within the squad.
Will England spice things up?
Social media was abuzz when Pepper was called up after it was confirmed Buttler would miss the primary a part of the tour, with speculation rife the Essex wicketkeeper could partner Phil Salt at the highest of the order in a dream union for headline writers.
The pair are unlikely to push it together unless injury or illness befalls the camp as Pepper was called up as batting cover for the series.
What about Jafer Chohan?
Unable to make the grade at Middlesex but handed a second probability at Yorkshire after help from the South Asian Cricket Academy and a suggestion from Joe Root, Chohan was one other left-field England selection.
The 22-year-old leg-spinner has shown flashes of potential and has a high ceiling England crave without delay.
The actual fact his skilled profession has only comprised of 23 T20s has been no obstacle.
It seems unlikely he’ll get an ODI debut and he may as an alternative be on a watching transient on this tour, learning from among the finest within the business in close friend and Yorkshire team-mate Adil Rashid.
What’s in it for the Windies?
While the Champions Trophy is on the horizon for England – and a bolter could emerge from the Caribbean – the West Indies didn’t qualify for the eight-team tournament scheduled to be held in Pakistan in February and March next 12 months.
Their next staging post is the 2027 World Cup after missing out on the 2023 edition in India but they’ve a proud home record against England, having not lost to them in their very own conditions in any format since March 2019.
Shai Hope, who averages near 50 on this format, captains the side while Shimron Hetmyer can be seeking to provide the firepower after his recall.
Also within the Windies squad is 17-year-old wicketkeeper Jewel Andrew, who has been tipped for giant things by Caribbean greats including Viv Richards, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ian Bishop.
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