No third coming for Ben Stokes

Combining McCullum's role to incorporate responsibility for England's white-ball sides paved the way for Stokes to do the same. Having unretired from ODIs once, he hasn't played a match in the format since England's last game in the 2023 World Cup. However, speaking in September, Stokes said that if McCullum were to ask him to be a part of the ODI set-up again, the answer was "definitely going to be a yes".

However, Stokes has been troubled by injury since those comments, which may have influenced his decision to stay away. He missed England's home series against Sri Lanka as well as their first Test in Pakistan with a hamstring injury, before hobbling off the field with a recurrence of the same injury during the final Test in New Zealand. Stokes also theoretically has commitments to fulfill in the SA20 in January, before skipping the IPL in readiness for a five-Test series against India ahead of the Ashes series billed is the climax of his tenure.

There are also players from outside the 2019 group ready and waiting to take his place. Harry Brook will be the centrepiece of England's middle-order, with Jamie Smith and Jacob Bethell also ready to go. On the allrounder front, England have Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton and Brydon Carse as their options, meaning Stokes' presence may not be as missed as it previously has been.

Pacers galore but no second spinner

Since dropping Moeen Ali following the 2024 T20 World Cup, England have struggled to replace his role as a frontline spinner in the top seven to go alongside Adil Rashid. While Liam Livingstone provides plenty of variation, he has only bowled eight overs or more in an ODI innings four times in his 33-match career. Joe Root returning provides another option, but he has bowled progressively less in all formats over the latter years of his career. Bethell also provides bits and pieces but there's no replacement for the middle-innings overs Moeen rattled through. Instead, combinations of six pacers fill out the attack. Jofra Archer will lead the group in another step up of his workload post injury layoff, while Mark Wood will also return alongside Brydon Carse, Jamie Overton, Saqib Mahmood and Gus Atkinson. Expect plenty of rotation between those six quicks throughout the tournament.

Rehan Ahmed - Selected in T20I squad.
Joe Root - Selected in ODI squad.

England have announced their squads for the upcoming white-ball series against India.

Read here ➡️ https://t.co/uTrQ8uNXqz pic.twitter.com/ASM6la67Mi

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) December 22, 2024

Root returns for unfinished business

The headline from the squad announcement was Root's return. Before the 2023 World Cup warm-up series against New Zealand, Root had played just 15 ODIs since the 2019 World Cup final and averaged 35.10 in that time. After a decent start in the 2023 tournament, he was out for a run of low scores as England's campaign capitulated. Once the lynchpin of England's top order with a reputation as one of the format's all-time greats, the lack of bankable runs he gave England's World Cup-winning side was sorely missed four years later.

The gap in the Test schedule which has allowed Root's return also gives him a chance to reassure his record in the format, and the side inarguably looks better with him in it, regardless of recent record. His comeback has also spelled curtains for the time being for Will Jacks. Since making his debut last year, Jacks' average now sits at 31.20, and the explosive returns he's given in franchise cricket haven't translated to the international format. However, with the Test schedule and Root's age considered, while his inclusion for now makes sense, there will more to think about for McCullum beyond the tournament.

Bethell stands out in a right-hand dominant top six

The likely XI England will pick from the squad will see Ben Duckett partnering Phil Salt at the top, before Root, Brook, Buttler and one of Jamie Smith or Jacob Bethell round out the top six. Should Smith get the nod over Bethell, England's entire top six would be made of right-handers except Duckett.

While Smith gave a glimpse of what could potentially be his best format over the summer, Bethell's New Zealand success could be enough for him to displace Smith and provide some variation to the batting lineup. Bethell has yet to show his best in 50-over cricket and, like most of England's younger stars, only has sporadic experience in the format. But, Bethell's fledgling career has shown that talent can outweigh experience on the big stage.

What's next for discarded regulars?

Of the names England have regularly picked over the last year, Reece Topley, Sam Curran and Jacks are those to miss out from this squad. It's tough on Topley, who has picked up injuries at crucial times consistently over the last few years, including on his last outing in West Indies, and England's plethora of pacers coming through as well as Archer and Wood's renewed fitness means competition for places has ramped up.

The flip side is that both Topley and Curran missing out means England no longer have a left-arm pace option. Equally, Topley has taken the most ODI wickets of any still-active England pacer since 2022, and has a decent record in India. There's a case for England having opted to fill roles over selecting individuals, with Carse and Overton likely set to bowl through the middle while a rotating cast of Wood, Archer and Mahmood bowl in the powerplay. Particularly with Curran's omission, however, McCullum has stuck to his blueprint for an unrelenting roster of pace, and bowlers capable of banging the ball in to potentially flatter decks.

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