England will begin their planned white-ball restart under Brendon McCullum with a full complement of fast bowlers after Saqib Mahmood was belatedly granted a visa to join the team which leaves for the tour of India on Friday evening.
Mahmood was forced to miss a quicks training camp in Abu Dhabi last week after a delay in receiving the necessary documents for India’s eight-match white-ball series which begins on Wednesday. As well as the start of McCullum’s expanded role as head coach, this serves as a precursor to the Champions Trophy.
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Seen as linked to his Pakistani heritage and with ongoing political tension between India and its neighbors, Mahmood’s heist risked a repeat when Shoaib Bashir missed the first Test in Hyderabad last January. But with his passport now returned, the 27-year-old will be part of the England squad.
Mahmood missed an England Lions tour to India in 2019 due to a visa delay and also stayed home in anticipation of further problems when Lancashire traveled to India for a pre-season trip l ‘last year. Rehan Ahmed and Adil Rashid, former visitors to the country and from similar backgrounds, received their visas on time.
The tour begins in Kolkata with the first of three T20 internationals, but it is the five-match one-day international series that follows that is most relevant to the Champions Trophy. This takes place in Pakistan in February and March.
It is clear that rhythm is at the heart of English thinking. Mahmood is one of five front-line quicks in the party, with Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Brydon Carse all having worked with consultant bowling coach Jimmy Anderson in Abu Dhabi.
Even the bowling all-rounder’s spot went to the quickest man, with Jamie Overton preferred at left-arm angle to Sam Curran and he is expected to join the team after playing in the Australian Big Bash League.
With Reece Topley and Chris Woakes overlooked, this represents a change in direction for England under McCullum; a strategy supported by the ‘Pace Project’ that team principal Rob Key commissioned last year. While recognizing the need for skill and variation, England are now placing more emphasis on those bowling above 84mph in ODI cricket, particularly when both Kookaburra balls go limp after the powerplay.
Aside from the tour being an opportunity for Jos Buttler to reaffirm his captaincy credentials after two disappointing outings in the 2023 World Cup and last year’s T20 equivalent, the ODI leg brings back Joe Root for the first time since the first of those failed title defenses. . Jamie Smith, the first-choice Test wicketkeeper and expected to take off Buttler’s gloves in India, also returns after paternity leave.