Brook ka pehla white-ball captaincy ka mauka, 2023 World Cup aur 2025 Champions Trophy ke do bade disasters ke baad
England aur West Indies ka Naya Shuruaat
England aur West Indies ek teen match ki ODI series khelne ja rahe hain, jo 29 May 2025 se Edgbaston mein shuru hogi. Ye dono teams ke liye ek bada mauka hai apne ODI game ko dobara se mazboot karne ka, kyunki dono hi teams ne recent major tournaments mein bura perform kiya. England ke liye, ye series Harry Brook ke white-ball captaincy ka pehla test hai, jabse Jos Buttler ne captaincy chhodi, 2023 Cricket World Cup aur 2025 ICC Champions Trophy ke kharab performances ke baad. West Indies bhi apne aap ko 2027 ODI World Cup ke liye taiyaar karna chahta hai, kyunki woh 2023 World Cup aur 2025 Champions Trophy ke liye qualify nahi kar paye. England ke liye ek bada highlight hai Jamie Smith ko Ben Duckett ke saath opening ke liye chunna, jo dikha raha hai ki woh apne top order mein aggression aur dynamism laana chahte hain.
England ka Reboot: Harry Brook ka Naya Daur
England ka ODI team ek transitional phase mein hai, jabse unhone 2023 World Cup aur 2025 Champions Trophy mein “do bade disasters” dekhe. 2023 World Cup mein, defending champions England group stage mein hi bahar ho gaye, sirf teen out of nine matches jeet paye. Unka campaign inconsistent tha, jismein Joe Root jaise bade players 2019 World Cup wala form nahi dikha paye. 2025 Champions Trophy bhi utna hi bura raha, jismein England group stage mein hi bahar ho gaya, ek notable defeat Afghanistan ke haathon 8 runs se. Ye setbacks aur 2025 mein India ke khilaaf 3-0 series loss ke baad, Jos Buttler ne captaincy chhod di, jinka ODI captaincy average 2022 se sirf 33.13 tha.
Harry Brook, ek 26 saal ka batting ka chhupa rustam, ko 7 April 2025 ko white-ball captain banaya gaya, ODI aur T20I dono ke liye. Uska pehla assignment hai ye West Indies ke khilaaf series, aur uske paas ek aisa squad hai jismein experience aur naye talent ka mix hai. Jamie Smith ko opener banane ka faisla ek bold move hai, jo head coach Brendon McCullum ke aggressive philosophy ko dikha raha hai. Smith, ek 24 saal ka Surrey ka wicketkeeper-batsman, ne Champions Trophy mein No. 3 pe khelte hue struggle kiya, sirf 15, 9 aur 0 runs banaye. Lekin England ke management ko uspe bharosa hai ki woh top order mein aggressive shuruaat de sakta hai.
England ka pehla ODI ka XI shayad aisa hoga:
– Ben Duckett
– Jamie Smith (wk)
– Joe Root
– Harry Brook (c)
– Jos Buttler
– Jacob Bethell
– Will Jacks
– Jamie Overton
– Brydon Carse
– Saqib Mahmood
– Adil Rashid
Is lineup mein teen 2019 World Cup winners hain—Root, Buttler, aur Rashid—jo team ko ek solid backbone dete hain. Root, ek saal ke baad ODI mein wapas aaya hai, No. 3 pe middle order sambhalega, jabki Buttler, ab wicketkeeping nahi karega, No. 5 pe batting pe focus karega. Jofra Archer aur Mark Wood ke injuries ke wajah se, Brydon Carse aur Saqib Mahmood pe bowling ka zyada zimma hai, Jamie Overton ke saath. Adil Rashid England ka sabse bada white-ball spinner hai, aur uska experience Edgbaston ke thodi turn wali pitches pe kaam aayega.
England ka Jamie Smith ko opener banane ka faisla, Will Jacks ya Tom Banton jaise aur conventional choices ko chhod ke, ek bada risk hai, lekin McCullum ke bold selections ke track record ke saath yeh faisla liya gaya. Ye move England ko ek dynamic top three deta hai, Duckett ke left-hand aggression ke saath Smith ke powerplay dominate karne ki potential.
West Indies ka Uthan: 2027 ke liye Taiyaari
West Indies, Shai Hope ke leadership mein, bhi ek rebuilding phase mein hai, apne aap ko cricket ke elite teams ke beech wapas laane ke liye. 2023 World Cup aur 2025 Champions Trophy ke liye qualify na kar paana—2023 World Cup Qualifiers ke Super Six stage mein Scotland se haar ke wajah se—ek bada jhatka tha ek aisi team ke liye jiske paas do ODI World Cup titles (1975, 1979) aur ek Champions Trophy (2004) ka itihas hai. West Indies legend Viv Richards ne apni disappointment dikhai, kaha, “Yeh mujhe bahut udaas karta hai kyunki hum isse kahin behtar hain,” aur team ko Afghanistan ke jaisa tezi se uthne ke liye kaha.
Recent ICC events mein na hone ke bawajood, West Indies ne bilateral series mein achha kiya, England ko 2023-24 aur 2024-25 mein Caribbean mein haraaya. Ek standout performer raha hai Keacy Carty, jinhone Barbados mein chhe mahine pehle apna pehla international hundred maara aur Ireland mein back-to-back centuries, jismein ek 170 off 142 balls ka score—West Indies ke liye joint-sixth highest ODI score. Carty, ab No. 3 pe ek key player, ko head coach Daren Sammy ne unki dedication ke liye tareef ki hai aur unhe 2027 World Cup ke liye ek cornerstone maana ja raha hai.
West Indies ka squad is series ke liye shayad Nicholas Pooran aur Andre Russell jaise power hitters aur Carty aur Gudakesh Motie jaise naye talents ka mix hoga. Motie, ek left-arm spinner, Edgbaston ki pitch se fayda utha sakta hai. Unka strategy hoga England ke plans ko disrupt karna, jaise unhone recent home series mein kiya, apne pace aur spin options ke saath.
Tactical Baatein aur Series ka Outlook
England ke liye, ye series ek chance hai apne game ko reset karne ka ek mushkil period ke baad. Brook ki captaincy ka test hoga ek packed schedule ke saath, jismein India, South Africa, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, aur Sri Lanka ke khilaaf series hain 2026 T20 World Cup se pehle. Ek aisa squad manage karna jismein Smith, Overton, aur Bethell jaise players ka ODI experience kam hai, uske liye bada challenge hoga. Archer aur Wood ko rest dene ka faisla workload management dikhata hai, lekin isse unka bowling attack Carse ke recent Test form aur Rashid ke experience pe depend karta hai.
West Indies, jo March 2025 tak ODI rankings mein ninth pe hain, is series ko momentum banane ka mauka maante hain. England ke khilaaf recent jeet unhe confidence deti hai, lekin unhe England ke home ground pe challenge karna hoga. Edgbaston ki pitch, jo shuru mein batsmen ko help karti hai lekin baad mein spin offer karti hai, Rashid aur Motie ke liye ek bada factor ho sakti hai, middle overs ko game-changer banate hue.
Jamie Smith ka Role aur Expectations
Jamie Smith ka opener banaya jaana is series ka headline move hai. Champions Trophy mein No. 3 pe struggle ke baad, England ke management ko lagta hai ki uska aggressive strokeplay aur pace handle karne ki ability use powerplay ke liye perfect banati hai. Uski wicketkeeping duties, jo is series mein usne li hain, use aur zimmedari deti hain, Buttler ko batting aur fielding pe focus karne deke. Smith ke performances pe sabki nazar hogi, kyunki agar woh yahan acha karta hai to 2027 World Cup cycle ke liye top order mein jagah pakki kar sakta hai.
Conclusion
Ye ODI series dono teams ke liye ek naya shuruaat hai, England ke liye Harry Brook ka captaincy era shuru ho raha hai aur West Indies apna upward trajectory jari rakhna chahta hai. Jamie Smith ka opener role England ke bold approach ko dikhata hai, jabki West Indies Carty jaise players pe depend karega England ke vulnerable batting lineup ko challenge karne ke liye. 2027 ODI World Cup ke liye dono teams ke safar ka yeh series tone set karega, Brook ki leadership aur Smith ke top pe adaptation ke saath spotlight mein.
