England is almost out of the 2023 ODI World Cup. They now need a miracle and the first part of it will have to be to defeat Team India in Lucknow. The opening combination has not worked for England, so far. Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan have both been inconsistent. England can try out some new options to surprise India in Lucknow. With nothing to lose, England can be a dangerous opponent for the men in blue. Here, we take a look at three England cricketers who could be tried as openers against Team India.
1) Sam Curran
Sam Curran has been out of the England Team for a while now. A talented cricketer, Curran will be itching to get back on the field. Yes, it is an ODI game and he will be up against the likes of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. However, Sam is perfectly capable of handling them. He is technically good at tackling the Indian pacers. Moreover, he would also have the license to go after them, which would further put pressure on them. Of course, he also brings in an extra option with the ball. All of this could bode well for the defending champions.
2) Liam Livingstone
Liam Livingstone is one of the England cricketers who could be tried as openers against Team India. Livingstone has somehow not been able to leave a mark in the World Cup. He is struggling against spinners and his trademark sixes have also gone out of frequency. Liam has opened in the T20 format before. It is a different task in the ODIs but he can be trusted in this role. If it comes good, it might be hard to stop him. With spinners likely to rule in the middle-overs, Liam would have his troubles. Hence, in this regard, he can be an option to open the batting.
3) Harry Brook
Harry Brook opened the batting for England before the 2023 ODI World Cup. He lost his place in the side in the last game. It might not be a bad idea to bring him back. He is a serious cricketer and needs a run of games to come well. For the future, as well, it is worth considering Brook as a white-ball opener. With him at the top, England can be more flexible in the middle order. If Brook can give a good start against India, England can get back their form. Hence, he is on this list.
