England Squad 2024: Chris Jordan and Jofra Archer have been included in the 15-member England squad for the T20 World Cup 2024, starting in the USA and the West Indies from June 1-29. Chris Woakes has been left out to accommodate Jordan who last played his T20I in September 2023 against New Zealand.
Archer, having recovered from a right elbow injury, has been included since his last competitive outing in May 2023. The T20 World Cup England squad also includes the uncapped left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, who starred with 22 wickets against India in his maiden Test series.
Woakes being left out comes as a surprise with Jamie Overton also not considered because of a back injury. The defending champion England will be led by Jos Buttler. Jordan's allround ability made him an automatic selection as he can bat lower down the order, is a great fielder and has the ability to bowl the death overs.
On Jordan's recall to England's white-ball setup, Rob Key, England's director of cricket, said: "We've watched CJ for a while now and his bowling has always been a serious factor for us. The fact that he can bowl at the death has always been something we look for, but his batting seems to have kicked on a bit this time. Having power is a big thing out in the Caribbean, so that's why CJ has comfortably got in there."
Regarding Archer, Key admitted that England remained cautiously hopeful due to his history of injury setbacks, including a stress fracture of the back and persistent elbow issues. However, with the opportunity for him to compete in front of his loved ones in Barbados, Key remained optimistic that the upcoming four-match T20I series against Pakistan in May would provide Archer the platform to make a strong start.
"Jofra's that bowler that's just so special, you do everything you can to try to get him back playing," he said. "We've taken the longer road this time. But as
always with Jofra, it's fingers crossed until he's out there playing. You're waiting for something really good to happen - you don't quite believe it until he's there. But he's tracking well at the moment.
"Hopefully the next step is when he gets into that Pakistan series, it's going to be full-match intensity, and how he keeps going through there. But at the moment we're doing everything we can, and he's in a good spot. And playing in Barbados, as you can imagine, is something Jofra is desperate to do as well."
Woakes has been a consistent figure in England's limited-overs squad, excelling with the new ball in their wins in the 2019 ODI World Cup and the 2022 T20I World Cup. However, his absence, along with Ben Stokes' decision to step back from selection, signifies a shift in England's cricket dynamics. Moreover, Woakes has not featured for Punjab Kings in the ongoing IPL season.
While acknowledging Woakes' contributions, Key emphasised that the focus now shifts towards Test cricket, particularly following his commendable performances in the Ashes last summer. Key highlighted Woakes' value in Test cricket, citing his batting prowess and ability to provide variety in the bowling attack alongside players like Jimmy Anderson and Matt Potts.
In the absence of Stokes, England's batting order is set to revolve around the in-form trio of Buttler, Phil Salt and Will Jacks, with Jonny Bairstow occupying
the number four spot following his recent remarkable century for Punjab Kings in the IPL.
Several key players, including Buttler, Salt, Jacks, Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran and Reece Topley, are set to return from the IPL to join the England squad ahead of the T20I series against Pakistan on May 22. They will then head to the Caribbean on May 31 for their opening group match against Scotland in Barbados on June 4.
Key confirmed that players were aware of this arrangement for some time, with Buttler particularly eager to bring the squad together early for preparation. Key emphasised the importance of cohesion, especially with the inclusion of newer players like Salt and Jacks, who are poised to seize their opportunity on the international stage.
England T20 World Cup squad: Jos Buttler (c), Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali (vice-captain), Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Tom Hartley, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Reece Topley.
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