Former England opener Nick Knight shared his thoughts on various issues regarding the England team. He shared his thoughts on England’s chances of defending their World Cup crown, Ben Stokes’ decision to un-retire from ODIs, and Jos Buttler’s captaincy.
England is the defending champions of the ICC World Cup and many experts and fans have considered them to be one of the favorites to win the tournament, despite it being held in India. Captained by Jos Buttler, England has applied their aggressive batting strategy from Test cricket to ODIs as well.
They have found success with this strategy and have filled their batting order with hitters from top to bottom. England also bats very deep. On the other hand, they have two very good spinners Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali, who will be complimented by Joe Root.
As for the pacers and all-rounders Mark Wood, Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson bring the pace, while Reece Topley, David Willey, and Sam Curran are the left-arm pacers.
“I would say all boxes ticked. I mean, inevitably what we're all doing now is we're looking at strengths and weaknesses of sides going into the World Cup conditions as well. I would say boxes, certainly as far as the personnel of the squad is concerned boxes ticked. I think it's quite a difficult squad to pick for all the teams because I personally, and this is just my personal view, when you look back at the last World Cup in 2019, obviously in England, you're looking at situation conditions where it might be slightly different in Birmingham to Manchester to the Oval to Lords, whatever. But essentially, what we've got is very similar conditions.
Where I see it, and I may be very wrong here, but where I see it looking forward into the next six weeks is conditions, OK, subcontinent, OK, India, they could be very, they're very geographically different and the conditions themselves could represent very different challenges for the team. So, what I look at is not so much what will be the best team, but what is the best squad that can perhaps just use those conditions best. How are you going? Have you got five or six genuine quick bowlers seam bowlers or swing bowlers? Have you got that covered? Well, England will say they have. Have you got your spin options if you need them? Yeah, England can go with four spinners on any given side. They can go with four spin options because they'll play the Livingstone group plus the two spinners. Is your batting powerful enough at the top? Absolutely. So, I like the way that they've gone with three left-armers because I think they're going to use those in the group stages certainly and beyond if they progress. I like the fact they've got a couple of pace bowlers, genuine Mark Wood, and Gus Atkinson, and Joffre Archer is a traveling reserve. There's always that sort of mouthwatering thought that he might still come into things later on in the tournament where he will be fresh and ready to go. So, I think they've got all the boxes ticked. The question mark I've got is how are they going to adjust and react and work out given situations on given days?” Knight told Jamie Alter on his podcast.
“I think that will be the challenge for England. I think that will be the challenge for a lot of the sides and that's where I go back to the squad. Have you got the squad to cover those different challenges, those different conditions that you might be faced with? Yeah, I think they do because as you mentioned, just the names that you've taken, the majority of them have experience playing around the world, especially in India and a lot of them were part of the IPL this year. There are varied conditions but you just go down what could be their starting 11 for that first match against New Zealand. It does tick every single box,” he added.
England all-rounder Ben Stokes, who had retired from ODIs in 2022 to manage his workload, decided to retire and became available for the World Cup 2023 tournament after a chat with captain Jos Buttler.
“I think we always felt that it was on the cards. I think having had a break from ODIs, got his mind focused on Test match cricket, all that he'd achieved, being the experience that he had in the 2019 World Cup, being a World Cup champion, being great mates with the team members, great mates with the captain. Look, none of us know exactly how that conversation went with Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, but my gut feeling is it didn't take a lot of persuading. And he's just a big match player, he's a big tournament player.
I always look at it from other sides looking into an England side, and if Ben Stokes is not there and sat at home watching, you kind of feel, yeah, it takes a massive part of the aura that this England side has when it lands, as it did probably this morning, I think they left last night here from the UK. If Ben Stokes walks off that plane and he's part of that 15, oh my, I mean, what it gives to the side, but also what it portrays to the rest of the team's playing. And I think there is that aura that he brings, there is that, obviously that captaincy ability that he'll help with Jos Buttler, but, and that game change. I mean, he's almost superhuman. Some of the stuff that Ben Stokes can do, you would feel, I can only imagine as an opponent, opposition side playing against England, you know, that even if the task is almost unachievable, if he's at the crease, it is very achievable. And that is what the threat factor that he will bring. He is the kind of, he's the kind of final piece in the jigsaw for me, absolutely integral and crucial that he's there,” Knight said.
Knight also spoke about Jason Roy’s unceremonious exit from the ICC World Cup 2023 tournament, having been replaced by Harry Brook at the last minute.
“With the injuries to Jason, I mean, it's a really unfortunate situation for Jason. And I have a great deal of sympathy with him on it because ultimately, I think England made the right decision, by the way. I think Harry Brook is a fantastic player. And I think he had to be on that side. And it's unfortunate for Jason Roy that he misses out. However, the one thing I would say is, yeah, I mean, he got what he got 200, 200 in his last six games.
So therefore, you're looking at a situation where he's going to say, hang on a minute, I'm in pretty good form. The problem for him is the back injury. The problem for him is it was a good few months ago when he scored those 200s in those six games. So, you know, form has not necessarily been on his side in recent times. I understand the decision,” Knight added.
Finally, Knight shared his thoughts on Jos Buttler as captain. England had won the 2019 World Cup under the mercurial captaincy of Eoin Morgan and Buttler will be under some pressure to repeat that feat.
He said: “I think India probably favorites, bearing in mind the conditions and their ability to know conditions and the geographical nature of the tournament, understanding the conditions better naturally than some of the touring sides coming over.
Yes, Buttler has got a good feel for the game. Can he get that really good feel for the moment in a game that's going to change a game? Because all the analysts will be in his ear saying, you know, this is the match-up. You need to bowl this bowler against this batter.
We can't tell how he's going to do, Jos Buttler. We can't tell what all the captains are going to do. But for me, I see that as being a crucial role in who's going to come out on top in this World Cup, as much as, you know, who's got the best players, who's got the best balance of sight. Of course, that's important. But there are the kinds of key moments in games. And can England get that right? Of course, they can. Of course, they can. And they've got the personnel to be able to do it. But that's what I think will be the determining factor on who wins this World Cup and who doesn't.”
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