James Anderson and Stuart Broad, England’s two leading Test wicket-takers so far, were a brutal name post the Ashes for next month’s tour of the West Indies.
The fast bowling greats got no assurance that they still have a Test career.
England, on the heels of an off-field clear-out that accounted for the head coach, assistant coach and director of cricket, also dropped eight players after a 4-0 loss in the series in Australia.
As well as Anderson, Broad and vice-captain Jos Buttler, the following players were also dropped: David Malan, Sam Billings, Dom Bess, Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed.
Former Test captain Andrew Strauss, who is serving as interim director of cricket after the firing, said, “With the start of a new cycle, it has enabled the selection panel to focus on the Test team with a special focus on competing away from home. allowed to refresh.” Ashley Giles said on Tuesday.
39-year-old Anderson and 35-year-old Broad also had words to say.
Strauss said, ‘I want to emphasize that this does not mean the end for the England players. “We think it’s important to see some exciting new bowling potential and to give some extra responsibility to other players who have played before.
“No one doubts the quality and experience that James and Stuart bring to the England set-up. It will be up to the new managing director and permanent head coach whether they join this summer and beyond.
The use of the phrases “draw a line” and “the beginning of a process and a journey” in the squad’s announcement indicated that there was no going back on some of the major decisions, however, that Butler also had a tough time. under.
Anderson has taken 640 wickets in 169 Tests and Broad is second on England’s all-time wicket-takers list with 537 in 152 matches.
Paul Collingwood will be the team coach in the West Indies in place of the late Chris Silverwood, whose assistant Graham Thorpe has also stepped down.
As part of what is being labeled as a “red-ball reset”, seamer Matt Fischer is a direct beneficiary of the rebooted bowling attack, while opener Alex Lees was also called into the 16-man squad for the first time. went.
Wicketkeeper Ben Fox returned to the team for the first time in almost a year, when he played the fourth Test against India in Ahmedabad in March.
The England team will leave on February 24 for the three-Test series.
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Joe Root (c), Jonathan Bairstow, Jack Crowley, Matthew Fisher, Ben Fox, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Alex Liege, Saqib Mahmood, Craig Overton, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood .
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