England‘s interim managing director Andrew Strauss stated that James Anderson and Stuart Broad were dropped for the West Indies tour as England would want to try out new options after the Ashes debacle but they will be considered for the selection in the home summer.
Notable that the veteran duo was dropped for the 3-match Test series to be played in March. Anderson picked 8 wickets in 3 Tests in the last Ashes series while Stuart Broad was one of two England bowlers to pick a fifer in the series. Both have tons of experience with them but England under a new coach Paul Collingwood decided to move on to start things from scratch.
James Anderson and Stuart Broad were dropped for the 3-match Test series in West Indies
However, Andrew Strauss confirmed that the duo with more than 1100 wickets would be in the mix for the home summer.
“When you’re selecting teams you’re always trying to balance winning today with winning tomorrow, and you’re trying to do both quite frankly. We feel like we’ve selected a team that is capable of winning out in the West Indies and that is absolutely the intention.
“But of course, we’ve got half an eye on tomorrow – it’s the start of the new cycle and it would be remiss of us not to do it.” Andrew Strauss spoke at a press conference on Wednesday.
He also rubbished the reports stating that Root found the duo ‘difficult to manage’ as Strauss that the team always need some influential voices and the doors are still open for them for the home summer.
“Not something that can be levelled at Broad and Anderson. Teams always need a number of influential voices to push the team forward. Everyone expects the captain to do that but anyone who has played for England knows that influential voices behind the captain are important,” Strauss said.
“I don’t see it as an issue to be ‘dealt with’. I think that’s very harsh on James Anderson and Stuart Broad. They’ve given everything to England cricket over a long period of time. I just feel like this is a moment when we had an opportunity to start projecting forward, especially with a view to winning away from home, and they’ll be in the mix for selection come to the start of the summer,” he added.
Strauss stated that the new team management would have full freedom to express their own strategic ideas and take the team forward. He expects the senior players like Stokes, Bairstow and Woakes will help Root in absence of Broad and Anderson.
“The new director of cricket and coach, they will have their own strategic ideas and that’s absolutely right for them to go in the direction they feel is fit. What I’m trying to do is just create options for them. In the bowling attack, we are looking at the likes of [Mark] Wood and [Chris] Woakes to play more of that role. Expect a lot from [Ben] Stokes and [Jonny] Bairstow as well. They have the chance to pull out the stops and help Joe Root.” Strauss said.
However, Strauss warned England that West Indies is not an easy place to tour and England have a dismal record there. England haven’t won a Test series there since 2004. In fact, since 1968, they won just one series in the Caribbean land.
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