Jason Roy has been backed to the hilt by his teammates to find his big-hitting form in Sunday’s final England white ball game of the summer.
Roy has failed to fire in the way that he can across the past month of white ball cricket to leave many wondering what is eating the powerful opener. Ahead of the Bristol T20 on Wednesday, Roy opened up on the difficulties he had during the Covid bubble era but was now delighted to back playing in front of big crowds.
“I felt surrounded by the game during Covid,” said Roy. “I really struggled with my headspace and was just getting through it. Now we’re back in front of a crowd and I’m in a better headspace so hopefully a score is around the corner. I’m feeling good about the way I’m batting but not getting the runs and it feels a strange place to be.”
Far from dominating the Indian and South African attacks in the style he has made his name doing, Roy has appeared more cautious than usual. In T20 cricket this summer he has hit just two sixes from the 80 balls he has faced. Normally he hits the ball over the ropes every 15 balls.
And after former skipper Eoin Morgan gave him full backing in the commentary box in Bristol, he produced another becalmed innings in Cardiff, scoring 20 from 22 balls when chasing a record score. But the dressing room is not overly concerned by the drop off in Roy’s output, even if the next generation of ball strikers are about to be unleashed to show what they can do in The Hundred.
“I’m not sure what’s up with J Roy to be honest,” said his Surrey T20 skipper Chris Jordan. “T20 cricket is one of those things, sometimes you can be hitting the ball well or not well and still getting runs. He will debrief his game with the coaches but as a character he will be back, we back him 250 percent in that dressing room.
“He is definitely the type of character to come through it. We all go through it as cricketers, we all go through little patches. We in the dressing room back him 250 percent because we know that when he’s on song he’s a real match winner, and don’t be surprised if he comes good on Sunday.”
If England are to triumph at the Ageas Bowl, it would come as no surprise if it has something to do with Jordan’s death bowling too. The 33-year-old has bounced back from his T20 World Cup semi-final disappointment this summer with some eye-catching overs with his pace up around 90 mph and his yorker working beautifully.
“I’ve not been looking at the speed gun but it’s nice to be touching 90,” he added. “I have a little bit up on Jofra at the minute! I’m feeling good physically and mentally, I had a good stint with Surrey and have tried to carry it into the international games.
“I’m trying to bowl a higher percentage of yorkers, not giving too much away. It’s one of those balls that even if the batter knows it’s coming, I focus on my execution and live with the results.”
