England Women announced their squads for next month’s tour of India today (November 10), and while there were no real surprises, there are some subtle yet significant takeaways.
These teams are the result of a turbulent summer in England. They had a thrilling run in the Ashes, producing the most exciting series ever in the modern format, but lost the T20I series to Sri Lanka despite the team being more developed. The T20 World Cup is less than a year away and the trip to India marks the start of the tournament.
England will play three T20Is and four-day Tests in Mumbai. His 21-man squad for the England A team has also been announced, of which 14 will feature in his three T20I matches against India A.
The most important news from the team is that Sophie Ecclestone, who underwent surgery for a dislocated shoulder in August, is fit to train with the team again ahead of the tour. It’s a rare occasion for England to play a Test in India, so this means it’s a great opportunity for the spin group. Ecclestone has yet to play a Test in India in his six-year Test career.
The possibility of a spin on the dusty Mumbai deck has paved the way for Alice Capsey to join the Test team. Her addition to the squad and the overs she was given over the summer suggest that, beyond her obvious skill with the bat, she has potential to be more than just a part-timer in the future. This will also put pressure on Charlie Dean, who is also in the Test team. An all-round spinner like Capsey adds an interesting dimension to England’s spinner depth.
Another notable name on the Test team is Beth Heath. Pressure may also be mounting on Amy Jones, who showed the power to add at the end of the innings with a much-talked-about catch behind the stumps during the Hundred and Women’s home season.
Jones’ performances with the bat, with scores of 13 and 4 in the summer Ashes Tests and an ODI average of 13.5 in the series against Sri Lanka and Australia, have raised questions about her future with the team. England have no shortage of options when it comes to gloves. Behind the stumps will be Tammy Beaumont (not yet in the T20I squad) and Lauren Winfield-Hill, who have international experience. But choosing a player with only one cap to her name means Lewis and company are preparing a long-term successor to Jones, even if she’s a reserve for this tour. It means there is a possibility.
Issie Wong appeared on every Ash team this summer, but this time she was only included in the “A” group. After the disastrous result against Sri Lanka, other options for his immediate international future were limited. In her Test team and her T20I team, Lauren Filer and Mahika Gaur are ahead of her, with Wong in her other position in the top order.
As far as the T20I squad is concerned, there is no place for them in the squad yet, but John Lewis said ahead of the Sri Lanka series that Beaumont is still considering a T20I return after an excellent summer in the format . With time running out until the World Cup and she may have already performed well enough to warrant a recall, what does she still need to do or what opportunities does she have? It remains unclear whether this will be achieved.
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