England are faced with a dilemma over whether to continue to back Zak Crawley as their Test opener for the home summer. Alex Holt Evans previews who they could turn to should they choose to move away from him.
Maybe, just maybe, time may not be on Zak Crawley's side. England’s series against New Zealand at the back end of 2024 saw the picking apart of both his technique and mentality by Matt Henry, with the England opener visibly incensed at the repetitive nature of his dismissals.
Over six innings, Crawley made 52 runs at an average of 8.66, the leanest run of any England opener in a series of three or more games. It would have been hard to see him picked again were a fourth test scheduled.
Bethell’s blazing introduction at No.3 further exposed Crawley’s shortcomings, the debutant able to do things he seemingly couldn’t.
Kent were relegated in 2024 posing a chance for Crawley to edge the narrative in his favour against more limited attacks this season, however first innings scores of 1,0 & 1 are indications Crawley may be running out of time to keep his place.
With the form of top order batters this season good, and the first test of the summer against Zimbabwe under a month away, there are a wealth of options from which to pick.
Ben McKinney
The likeliest of any of the names to follow, the exciting Sunderland-born opener gained attention with an aggressively made 110 from as many balls against an Australia A side containing six international players last winter. Former England spinner and England Lions coach Graeme Swann said, “In my view he could easily walk into Test cricket now.”
McKinney has carried his winter form into Division 1 this year, making 153 for Durham against Warwickshire earlier this month. Standing at 6ft 7in, he would retain England’s preference for height differential in an opening partnership with Duckett, and at the age of 20 is someone his Durham teammate Stokes could pick for the foreseeable. Though his sample size is small, McKinney looks an ideal player for the Bazball creed.
Jacob Bethell
The story of the winter saw the Warwickshire No.6 plucked from a T20 squad in the West Indies and shoved in at No.3 for three tests against New Zealand. A typical McCullum call-up, Bethell was selected not for his weight of runs (he has yet to score a professional hundred), but on pure ability and ambition to put opposition attacks under pressure.
What followed was an extraordinary showcasing of talent from a young player unfazed by the magnitude of the situation. Bethell made 260 runs in the series at an average of over 50 and a strike rate of above 75.
If England wish to bring back vice-captain Pope at No.3 to allow Jamie Smith to keep wicket, Bethell could well be an option at the top of the order. His main issue currently is not being able to break into his IPL side Royal Challengers Bangalore, though there has been talk he could return from India early to bolster his test chances.
Tom Haines
The top run scorer in Division 1 has been part of England conversations before, albeit not since the 2021-22 Ashes. Having made his reputation in Division 2, Sussex’s promotion to the top tier this year has presented Haines with an opportunity to catch the selectors' eye once again.
Scores this year of 141 & 174 against Somerset and Surrey respectively will have done no harm to his cause, but he will need to score a great deal more to enter squad deliberations.
Interestingly, the managing director of England men’s cricket Rob Key’s final tweet before being appointed in 2022 was: “Looks a bloody good player Tom Haines.”
Rehan Ahmed
Initially shoehorned into the top of the Leicestershire order for a swift fourth innings chase against Glamorgan during the first fixture of the season, coach Alfonso Thomas saw something worth exploring. Promoted from No.7 to opening in the two games since, England’s leg-spinning all-rounder Rehan Ahmed has showed both sides to his game, scoring a rapid 77 off 59 balls against Derbyshire, followed by a steadier 100 off 149 balls against a Lancashire attack including Saqib Mahmood.
Rehan's promotion has caught attention across the country, and although it may not happen this summer, it certainly gives England pause for thought if they see cause for a leg-spinner. In England early, spinners rarely influence games until the fourth innings, and Rehan is doing all he can to upskill his game and give himself the best chance of selection should he be called upon.
Jordan Cox
There is a parallel universe in which Jordan Cox doesn’t break his thumb and Jacob Bethell never makes his test debut for England. Cox was riding high last year, a successful transfer to Essex paying dividends. Nine hundred runs at an average of 65 in 2024 batting at No.4 led to an England call up against Sri Lanka last summer. He has wasted no time in reminding the England hierarchy of his talents since returning from injury scoring 255 runs this year, again at an average of 65. Cox is another player in the McCullum mould who could easily be bumped up the order to prove his mettle.
Tom Banton
An outsider's chance batting down the order at No.5 for Somerset, but Banton begun the year with undoubtedly the innings of the season so far, a monstrous 371 against Worcestershire.
The shining light in an otherwise dire Champions Trophy, Banton is in the form of his life, and a player full of promise when he broke onto the scene five years ago is pushing harder than ever for a test place.
Honourable mentions
Dom Sibley is averaging almost 90 in Division 1 this year, though at a pedestrian strike rate of just 40. It's hugely unlikely that England will turn back to a player synonymous of the previous administration, but Sibley is doubtless in the form of his life.
Alex Lees has continued his exceptional form since being dropped from the England side in favour of Ben Duckett three years ago. Averaging over 50 this year so far and at a good lick with a strike rate of nearly 70, Lees will do himself no harm continuing to pile on the runs in front of his Durham teammate and England captain Stokes.
Haseeb Hameed is a name that has withered away since his unsuccessful second coming in the 2021-22 Ashes down under, but the diminutive opener continues to chip away at the top of the order for Nottinghamshire. Finishing with over 1,000 runs last year at an average of over 50, and averaging nearly 100 this year, Hameed remains one of the more consistent openers in county cricket.
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