Jason Roy has been left out of England’s final squad for the 2023 Cricket World Cup, with Harry Brook selected in his place. Roy was unable to play in England’s recent ODIs against New Zealand due to back spasms. During his absence, Dawid Malan stepped up as the opening batsman and performed well, securing his position in the team. Brook, who was initially not included in the provisional 15, impressed the selectors with his performance and was added to the team.
Roy’s form has been a concern for England, but he managed to prove himself with centuries against South Africa and Bangladesh earlier this year. Despite his previous contributions, Roy was also left out of the squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup. His struggles in The Hundred and fitness issues continued to raise concerns about his form. Malan, on the other hand, seized the opportunity and played impressively during Roy’s absence, solidifying his place in the team.
The decision regarding the spare players came down to a choice between Brook and Roy. Roy has been a key player for England in ODIs, with an average of nearly 40 and a strike rate of over 100. Brook, on the other hand, is considered one of the most exciting young batsmen in the world. While he only scored 37 runs in three ODIs against New Zealand, he showcased his talent in The Hundred and T20I series against the Black Caps.
Brook’s flexibility in different batting positions also worked in his favor for the World Cup squad. Although he is primarily a mid-order option, Roy has predominantly opened for England in ODIs. The national selector, Luke Wright, stated that the selected team is confident in their ability to win the World Cup and emphasized the strength of their white-ball players.
Despite returning to England training this month, Jofra Archer did not make the final squad. However, he could still be included as one of the traveling reserves. England is yet to announce the three reserve players for the World Cup squad. The rest of the squad remains unchanged, with no major changes apart from the inclusion of Brook and Roy’s exclusion.
The final squad for the 2023 Cricket World Cup includes Jos Buttler (captain), Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Dawid Malan, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Reece Topley, Chris Wakes, Gus Atkinson, David Willey, and Sam Curran.