Fast bowler Jofra Archer was included in England’s provisional squad for the T20 World Cup announced on Tuesday, despite a left-sided strain that ruled him out of the last two Ashes Tests, but there was no place for wicketkeeper Jamie Smith.
Archer’s fellow quick Josh Tongue has been called up to the T20 squad for the first time in a 15-man squad led by Harry Brook for the tournament in India and Sri Lanka which begins on February 7.
Archer will not take part in the warm-up tour to Sri Lanka next month to continue his rehabilitation following the injury he suffered during the third Ashes Test in Adelaide earlier this month.
Brydon Carse will replace Archer in Sri Lanka for three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 internationals starting January 22.
There was, however, no place in the T20 World Cup squad for Smith who endured a torrid Ashes tour of Australia, although it is an unusual starting point in deciding selection for a white-ball tournament in the subcontinent.
The Surrey keeper-batsman smashed 60 from 26 balls in his last T20 appearance against the West Indies in June, but was rested due to his heavy all-format workload in the following series against South Africa and Ireland.
But after four Tests in Australia where he averaged 19.85 with the bat and endured several struggles behind the stumps, he was left out completely, with the experienced Jos Buttler and Phil Salt providing England with retention options for 2024 T20 World Cup semi-finalists England.
Tongue, on the other hand, has never played white-ball cricket but enhanced his reputation with impressive Ashes performances in Adelaide and Melbourne, where England’s four-wicket victory still left them 3-1 ahead of the series finale in Sydney starting on Saturday.
And the 28-year-old was the leading wicket-taker in last season’s Hundred competition, taking 14 wickets in just six matches.
Test match opening batsman Zak Crawley returns to the ODI squad for the first time since December 2023.
Brook will lead his first World Cup campaign as white-ball captain, with England facing Bangladesh, West Indies, Italy and Nepal in Group C, with chief executive Rob Key and coach Brendon McCullum looking for an impressive performance after facing criticism following the Test team’s tame defeat in the Ashes series.
England T20 squad for World Cup squad and Sri Lanka tour: Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wkt), Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood, Brydon Carse (Sri Lanka tour only)
England ODI squad for Sri Lanka tour: Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wkt), Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Luke Wood
