England look to the Champions Trophy to gloss over a bleak tour of India, where Jos Buttler’s side lost each white-ball series and were whitewashed 3-0 within the ODIs.
Here, we have a look at some key issues ahead of the trip to Pakistan, where England begin their tournament with a clash against old rivals Australia on February 22.
Just how much of a rut are England in?
Not even Brendon McCullum taking on as head coach could immediately transform the fortunes of England’s ailing white-ball sides.
They were beaten in seven out of eight matches in India and have now lost 16 of their last 23 ODIs, hardly the form of form any side wants heading into a worldwide event.
Consider just a few injuries to key personnel and this trip has been a miserable first experience for McCullum.
Are there any silver linings?
Ben Duckett attracted loads of criticism for saying: “If we lose 3-0 to India, I don’t care so long as we beat them in the ultimate of the Champions Trophy.”
Ultimately, though, he is true and his bullish remark perhaps hints at England’s morale not taking a bashing despite the tour going from bad to worse.
If England someway manage to win the Champions Trophy, this India tour fades into irrelevance.
Should they go for a unique approach in Pakistan?
McCullum urged England to be “watchable” – and so they were in India but for all of the incorrect reasons.
Batters were told to be aggressive but floundered against spin, which they will expect more of in Pakistan, while the fast bowlers often saw their pace used against them, especially Jofra Archer.
Nevertheless, McCullum and captain Jos Buttler have been at pains to state they’ll not water down their tactics, insisting what they are attempting to implement has the backing of everyone within the dressing room.
Are they honing their methods enough?
Any side on a losing run is certain to have detractors.
But that went up a notch in Ahmedabad as Ravi Shastri and Kevin Pietersen speculated about their preparation, with England not training for the last two ODIs amid an exhaustive travel schedule and mounting injury problems.
While practice sessions under McCullum are actually optional, England did train no less than six times on the tour but eight matches within the space of twenty-two days, all in several cities, leaves little wiggle room for players to iron out kinks.
Will England have to make changes to their Champions Trophy squad?
Possibly. England have already been forced to swap out injured all-rounder Jacob Bethell for top-order batter Tom Banton, a peculiar alternative given their different roles.
But Duckett injured his groin in Ahmedabad and while he batted, he’s now a significant doubt for the Champions Trophy.
The opener can have a scan when England head to Abu Dhabi on Thursday but any change should be rubber-stamped by the International Cricket Council.
While Archer, Brydon Carse and Jamie Overton all have niggles and Jamie Smith has been sidelined for the reason that T20 series, England expect the quartet to be fit to face Australia.
Is there any reason for optimism?
While England have taken a battering in India, a change of scenery and opposition – after Australia comes Afghanistan and South Africa within the group stages – is likely to be just the tonic.
Joe Root and Harry Brook are numbers one and two within the Test batting rankings and surely can’t be kept down for long, while fellow Yorkshireman Adil Rashid was a rare shining light in India.
Buttler himself is due an enormous rating and if England can keep Archer, Carse, Overton and Mark Wood fit then they’ve a pace attack to strike fear into opponents.
They is likely to be a frontline spinner short and the balance of their team, with Overton too high batting at number seven on Asian pitches, is open to debate but this remains to be a superb side on paper.
READ MORE: Ben Duckett ‘fit and available’ for England’s Champions Trophy campaign
