Stuart Broad’s retirement marks the start of what could be a transitional period for England’s seam bowling ranks.
James Anderson turned 41 yesterday and cannot be far from following his partner, while Chris Woakes is 34 and said recently he would happily specialise in home Tests from here on in.
Mark Wood is only a year younger and remains a prized asset in need of careful management.
Josh Tongue has been the summer’s find, while Ollie Robinson could emerge as the attack’s leader despite his Ashes petering out.
Here are six other contenders who will hope to push their case for the winter tour of India and beyond…
Sam Curran
Played the last of his 24 Tests two years ago but is a vital figure in England’s white-ball set-up. Was on his way back from a stress fracture at the start of the Bazball era and not called up since but, along with Woakes, would be the outstanding candidate to fill the all-rounder slot if Ben Stokes’s future is as a specialist batter.
Matthew Potts
Took 20 wickets in five Tests last summer after benefitting from an injury crisis to earn a maiden call-up. Was left out of last year’s Pakistan tour, though, which does not bode well for his chances of going to the subcontinent this winter. Seems to have slipped down the pecking order since Tongue’s emergence, with only action this summer coming against Ireland.
Saqib Mahmood
Made Test debut on West Indies tour that finished Joe Root’s tenure as captain but Mahmood (pictured, below Carse) has been dogged by injuries, suffering a recurrence of a stress fracture last month. Hugely impressive in the makeshift ODI side led by Stokes during pandemic summer, though, and remains firmly on England’s radar. Bowls 90mph and a fine reverse swing exponent.
Olly Stone
Has won three Tests caps at sporadic intervals over a period of four years but was taken on the tour of New Zealand this winter and looked in line to play a decent part in the Ashes in rotation with Wood. Injury curse struck again, though, with what was initially termed a minor hamstring problem, since aggravated. Now focusing on being fit for the World Cup.
Brydon Carse
Stokes’s Durham teammate is yet to make his Test debut but is highly rated among the England set-up and was handed his first pace bowling development contract by the ECB last year. Was touted as the next cab off the rank in terms of pace bowlers early in the summer, only for a side strain to rule out any chance of a surprise Ashes call.
Jofra Archer
Still the great hope, for all it appears to be fading. Recovering from another stress fracture of the elbow in a bid to be fit for the World Cup, it will be three years since his last Test by the time the India tour comes around. Questions over whether the 28-year-old will ever play red-ball cricket again are valid, for all he says he still wants to.
