Why England can win the 2019 ICC World Cup
Many wondered if the early exit of England in 2015 World Cup marked the beginning of the demise of England in the ODIs. Seeing England perform the way they did in the World Cup was a scary prospect not only for England but for world cricket.
There was no passion or aggression, they were scared to take risks, and to be bold. But defeating the world cup runners-up, new Zealand, in their first series after the world cup cleared all doubts about whether there is enough talent in the nation to bounce back.
But how did this happen? And what makes them strong contenders to take on anyone in world cricket?
Let’s have a look at the 15-man World Cup 2015 squad:
Eoin Morgan(c), Ian Bell, James Taylor, Joe Root, Moeen Ali, Gary Ballance, Ravi Bopara, Jos Buttler, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, Steve Finn, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, James Tredwell.
8 of these players didn't feature in the next ODI series against New Zealand. It was fairly obvious what was wrong with the English team. They just couldn’t keep up with the attacking brand of cricket played these days.
Players like Ian Bell and Gary Ballance are just not good enough in the shorter formats. But the series against New Zealand and Australia (which they lost 3-2) proved that all they needed was the infusion of new blood.
Gone are the days when they played the waiting game, on more occasions than one were they seen forcing the issue. Captain Morgan leading from the front, and new heroes rising every match.
This team has no baggage, no fear of defeat. Morgan said, "It's the style of play that matters more than the result". Right after the world cup, England scored in excess of 300 four times in a row. This was the first time they have ever done that.
No waiting for powerplays, no waiting for the opponent's mistake, this team is different. They go on the attack right from the start. There is a lot to look forward to if you're an English fan.
Joe Root is one of the most talented young individuals in the world arena at the moment. Alex Hales showed glimpses of his hard hitting ability by giving bright and breezy starts. Jos Buttler has proved time and again that he is a matchwinner and he deserves to come higher than No. 7 in the batting order.
Adil Rashid has bowled some handy spells and scored crucial runs down the order. The bowling lineup still has a lot of work to do, but Steve Finn and Mark Wood showed glimpses of their talent.
What is good to see is the heart with which they played. Jonny Bairstow, who came into the team due to an injury to Buttler, played the innings of his life in the decider to win the series against New Zealand for England.
Jason Roy is another youngster to look out for. But, one of the biggest advantages England have, is the presence of a quality seaming allrounder in Ben Stokes. He is inconsistent with both the ball and bat right now, but I dare say, if England stick with him and he does justice to his talents, he could replicate some of the things Andrew Flintoff did in his career.
Moeen Ali is another spinning allrounder who seems to be improving with every game. David Willey produced some breathtaking spells in the series against Australia.
There is a clear shift from the lazy, laid-back way in which the likes of Cook, Bell, Trott built an innings earlier to the attacking mindset of players at the top of the order with the likes of Roy, Hales, Root and Morgan.
Morgan, who was a complete disaster in the world cup, seems to have found a golden touch now which is one of the biggest reasons why England look a confident side. Unlike a few other teams, they have found all the ingredients to be at the top, attacking batsmen, quality all-rounders, exciting bowlers.
Given enough time and experience, they could become a world-class side. Given that the next world cup is in England, they will fancy their chances to lay their hands on the elusive trophy. That being said, there is still a long way to go, but the foundation has been laid.