Left-arm pacer George Garton has earned a call-up for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, while promising Olly Stone has been ruled out of the summer with a stress fracture. Barring Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes, all the other English stars were named in the squad on Saturday.
After losing the two-match Test series against New Zealand, England will now take on Sri Lanka in a three-match ODI series starting from June 29 in Durham. Senior English all-rounder Ben Stokes who will be returning to action with Durham soon remains one of the major absentees alongside Jofra Archer in the side named for the ODI series against Sri Lanka. Sussex left-arm pacer George Garton earned a maiden call-up in the full side while luckily for England, Jonny Bairstow has been deemed fit for the series.
Reflecting on George Garton’s selection, Chris Silverwood stated that the Sussex pacer brings the variation of a left-armer and can bowl quick too.
“We have been monitoring the progress of George Garton for quite some time. He has been a significant part of Sussex’s bowling unit in white-ball cricket for an extended period. His ability to bowl quick, with his point of difference being a left-armer, certainly gives us options in this series, and he deserves his chance at this level,” said Chris Silverwood.
Pacers Saqib Mahmood and Reece Topley continue to miss out as they haven’t fully recovered from their respective injuries. Olly Stone, who had impressed one and all, in the second Test against New Zealand at Edgbaston, was also ruled out of the summer, owing to a stress fracture of his lower back.
“Several players are not available for selection due to injury. Jofra Archer (right elbow), Saqib Mahmood (abdominal) and Reece Topley (side strain) are all missing, but continue to make excellent progress from their respective injuries.”
“Unfortunately, following the second Test at Edgbaston against New Zealand, Olly Stone has been diagnosed with a stress fracture of his lower back and will miss the rest of the summer with the injury. It is a great shame as Olly was showing real promise with the ball and would have been part of our selection plans for this series,” added Silverwood.
Owing to bio-bubbles, England have been following rotation policy. But for the Sri Lanka series, all the other star players have returned to the side. The three ODIs will be staged in Durham, Oval and Bristol respectively.
Squad:Eoin Morgan (C), Moeen Ali, Jonathan Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, George Garton, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
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