3 youngsters England must groom after 2024 T20 World Cup exit ft. Patrick Brown
Defending champions England were knocked out from the semi-finals of the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup by finalists India. Jos Buttler and company lost by 68 runs at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Thursday, June 27.
England were on the verge of not qualifying for the Super Eight stage of this tournament, but a couple of good results went their way and helped them to make it to the Super 8.
Although they won two out of the three matches they played in the Super Eights, the English side looked far from being foolproof and were eventually shown the door by the Indians in the semi-final.
Cracks have begun to appear in this English side and their selectors need to recognise that they have to look beyond the current crop for the future. There are certainly several such players on offer in the county circuit.
In this listicle, we take a look at three youngsters that England must groom after the 2024 T20 World Cup.
#1 Rishi Patel
Rishi Patel is one of the first players that England must groom and get ready for the 2026 T20 World Cup slated to be held in India and Sri Lanka.
The Leicestershire batter is the leading run-scorer of the T20 Blast at the time of writing with 385 runs to his name at an average of 48.12.
He opens the innings for his County in the tournament and more often than not gets them off to big starts.
Patel is technically sound and uses his skill to pick gaps in the field and place the ball well. England will find him immensely useful at the top of the order and groom him in order to prepare him for the international stage.
#2 Michael Kyle-Pepper
Essex's number three Michael Kyle-Pepper, who is second on the list of most runs in the T20 Blast at the time of writing, is another player that England must look forward to grooming. He is also a handy wicketkeeper.
Kyle-Pepper is 25 years old and at the prime of his batting career. England must make good use of his skill set and prepare him for the challenges of international cricket.
Kyle-Pepper has 333 runs to his name at the time of writing at an average of 41.62; what will impress the selectors a lot about him is the rate at which he has scored those runs: 197!
#3 Patrick Brown
Derbyshire fast bowler Patrick Brown, who has already played in four T20Is for England, is another player that they will be keen on going back to after their semi-final exit in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Brown emerged as one of the most promising fast bowlers for England in T20 cricket after a massive T20 Blast season in 2018.
This time around, he has 15 scalps to his name in the eight matches he has played so far and served timely reminders to the selectors.
England will be keen on bringing him back to their fold for T20I cricket in order to look beyond their current set of seamers.