England have shuffled their batting order to move Jamie Smith up to No.3 for their Champions Trophy tournament opener against Australia tomorrow (February 22). Here's why.
England announced their XI two days ahead of the game, with the most noticeable talking point being Smith's move up the order. It means that Joe Root, England's long-time ODI first-drop, will come in at No.4, in front of Harry Brook at five, and Jos Buttler at six. Smith will also take the gloves over both Buttler and Salt, the other potential keepers in the side.
Read: England name XI featuring top-order reshuffle for Australia Champions Trophy clash
Coming in at three will be a first for Smith, having played all but one of his ODIs so far coming in at No.5. He made his debut against Ireland in 2023, before breaking properly into the side last summer against Australia, where his top score was 49 at Leeds. He was selected for England's ODI tour of India ahead of the Champions Trophy, but missed all three matches with a calf injury.
Buttler: We feel three is a nice position for Smith
Speaking on Friday (February 21), England captain Buttler said of moving Smith up to three: "We just feel it's a nice position to give him a free hit to try and really impact the game, make that top three really dynamic. Jamie's someone with incredible talent and taken to international cricket so well that we feel he's got the game there and can place him in that position to try and have a really big impact with a number of guys behind him.
Jamie Smith - back
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) February 20, 2025
Brydon Carse - back
Jofra Archer - back
England have announced their XI for the Champions Trophy opener against Australia, with Smith slotted at No. 3.
Read here ➡️ https://t.co/w1bGK7zSv1 pic.twitter.com/gUXZDyrIJD
"He's obviously got the game technically and tactically, but I think the head on his shoulders seems to be one of the biggest strengths. Nothing seems to faze him too much. I think you could ask him to bat anywhere in the lineup and it wouldn't faze him. We feel it gives him a nice position to try and really impact the game, make some big runs and put some pressure on the opposition."
Why have England moved Smith up to three?
Smith has been held in high regard by England since he made his debut in the Test format last summer. It's arguably his performances there that have contributed most to the thinking that he could succeed further up the ODI order. He has shown the ability both to launch counter attacks, and negotiate tricky period in the Test format, in which he averages 42.46 after nine matches. He has also shown his ability to face spin bowling, launching a stunning attack against Sajid Khan during the third Test of England's series in Pakistan, in which he scored 89.
There have already been rumblings that Smith's future in England's Test side could be further up the order, and he regularly bats at No.4 for Surrey in the County Championship. In the style of previous selection punts taken under Brendon McCullum, this doesn't seem as obscure.
However, Smith's promotion means that Root will bat at No.4, away from the position he has built his ODI career on. Root averages 49.70 at No.3, and his stability in the position was a huge part of England's 2019 World Cup winning side.
Also read: England's lack of 50-over experience makes them historical and international outliers
Despite his historic success and entrenched role at three, when Root came back into the side for the 2023 World Cup, after dipping in and out over previous years, he struggled to make the same kind of impact as he had previously. After scoring 82 in the tournament opener against New Zealand, his top score in his next six innings was 28. Similarly, coming back into the side recently in India for the first time since that tournament, he was in before the end of the 11th over in each game.
The final match of that series gave a hint of England's plans, when Tom Banton was parachuted in at three, shunting Root down to four. Having Root in that position gives him a greater likelihood of batting through the middle period of the match, showcasing his prowess against spinning conditions in Pakistan, rather than coming in at the end of the powerplay.
Equally, it provides England with a powerful middle-order axis of Root-Brook-Buttler, with Livingstone at No.7 chosen above Jamie Overton to prioritise batting depth.
With England in desperate need of an ODI boost after their white-wash in India, Smith's promotion is a last ditch effort to paper over their batting deficiencies in time for a major tournament.
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