England have announced a 16-strong squad to play two Tests in Sri Lanka, and the group they’ve picked is an intriguing one.

Heavy on bowlers, the top six, barring a bit of quibbling, looks set in stone, with Dan Lawrence a near certainty to make his Test debut. Beyond that, however, there is plenty up for grabs, with the make-up of England’s bowling attack and lower order likely to give Joe Root and Chris Silverwood some selection headaches before the rubber gets underway.

Here’s five areas of debate for the pair to consider.

Two spinners or three?

In Sri Lanka in 2018, England picked the same three spinners for all three Tests, and the trio dovetailed beautifully. Jack Leach contained, Moeen Ali attacked, and Adil Rashid did the trick when nothing else was working. Between them they claimed 46 of 60 Sri Lankan wickets to fall, with nothing else more crucial in securing that series’ historic result; never before had England completed a Test whitewash in Asia in a series of three or more games. One line of thinking is that, given how well that method worked, they should stick with the same this time around; why change a winning formula?

However that would oversimplify the equation significantly. Moeen today is not the bowler he was two years ago, and Dom Bess isn’t yet the calibre of bowler Rashid was (and is). England’s pace contingent might also offer a different dimension. In 2018, James Anderson admitted to feeling “like a spare part”, with his many qualities rendered moot by unresponsive balls and unforgiving pitches. Now, with Mark Wood’s resurgence as a Test bowler, and Olly Stone back to fitness, England have wicket-taking options to take the pitch out of the equation. They might not need to spin it to win it.

Do they go back to Total Cricket?

On that 2018 tour of Sri Lanka, England fielded one of the deepest Test batting line-ups ever seen. Due to their plethora of all-rounders, Adil Rashid, a man with 10 first-class hundreds, could be found batting down at No.9, while Ben Foakes, who made a century of the highest class in the opening game, was pushed down to No.8 by the end of the series. In the first two Tests, England also fielded six bowling options, leading to the label Total Cricket being coined.

Now, with a deft turn Johann Cryuff himself might be proud of, England could be about to change from their recent method of banking on specialists to excel in their chosen roles and instead put their faith in a group of mercurial talents once more. While England could field all their non-bowling options in the top seven, the smart money is on one of Sam Curran, Moeen, or Chris Woakes batting at No.7, with more all-rounders filling in further down.

Crawley or Bairstow to open?

This one might at first seem something of a non-question. Zak Crawley performed creditably as opener in South Africa at the start of 2020, while Jonny Bairstow has never opened for England in Test cricket. However, the youngster has had extraordinary success in his limited stint at No.3 so far – his 267 in his most recent Test innings was England’s second highest maiden century – and the thought of moving him from the position in which he was just beginning to flourish might give pause for thought.

It is, after all, opening the batting where Bairstow has become one of England’s greatest ever ODI batsmen, and while it’s a different form of the game, some of those in the know have tipped him to have the same success in Test cricket.

Pace or experience?

On face value, it seems baffling to even consider it. In England’s squad are their two all-time leading wicket-takers. Each have more Test dismissals than the rest of England’s touring bowlers put together. One is arguably bowling as well as he ever has. The other is desperate to squeeze every last drop out of what’s left of his Test career. If Broad and Anderson are fit, they play.

But, while their reliance on home conditions has been exaggerated, the pair were barely used last time out in Sri Lanka, and ineffectual when called upon, taking one wicket in 55 overs between them. While England’s less dependable spin options might see more reliance on the quicks this time, there is perhaps a lesson to be learned; it’s pace through the air, rather than juice off the pitch, that does for batsmen in the subcontinent.

A pertinent example is Mitchell Starc’s exploits on Australia’s 2016 tour. Though the Aussies were smashed 3-0, Starc, bowling fast, fiery and full, claimed 24 wickets at 15.16, and while neither of Wood or Stone is close to his equal, England might well opt to pick an out-and-out quick rather than rely on Broaderson to do the business again.

Who takes the gloves?

Ed Smith gave a reasonably emphatic answer on this in his squad announcement presser, but there’s plenty of time for cases to be made and minds to be changed ahead of the first Test. Jos Buttler was originally pencilled in as England’s back-up wicketkeeper last time out in Sri Lanka, but when Bairstow pulled up lame and Foakes flown in as further cover, the Surrey man forced himself into the frame, with questions raised about Buttler’s capability to take the gloves in one of the toughest countries to keep in.

Smith suggested “continuity” was a significant reason for wanting Buttler to hold onto the gauntlets, and England could do with some stability; they will likely make at least four changes to their line-up for their most recent Test against Pakistan. They may also see the Sri Lanka series as an opportunity for Buttler to improve standing up against the turning ball, with a series in India to follow.

All that neglects Foakes’ abilities as a batsman, particularly against spin, with his work in front of the sticks as much as behind them earning him the Player of the Series award last time England were in Sri Lanka.