Published: 07/03/2010 15:52:10 | Modified: 07/03/2010 16:01:06
Author: Jonathan Agnew | All Contributors
Depleted England attack a good test for Cook
Q: What do make of the injuries to the faster bowlers that seem to be affecting England’s tour to Bangladesh?
A: It is not ideal that Ryan Sidebottom has had to return home, and there must be serious concern about his future as a Test match bowler as he keeps on being struck down with injury.
The worries over Stuart Broad and Graham Onions, meanwhile, mean that England look like going into their two Tests against Bangladesh with maybe a second string pace attack, with Jimmy Anderson already sitting out the whole tour.
But it gives big opportunities to the likes of Ajmal Shahzad, Tim Bresnan and possibly Steven Finn, who has now been flown out as cover.
I hear good reports of Finn, who is very tall, has pace, gets bounce and has impressed with Middlesex. He is the right age, turning 21 in early April, to come through.
Q: Does this current uncertainty over his Test attack put more pressure on Alastair Cook as captain?
A: Very much so, and I think it will be a very good test of his character and his ability as captain to stay calm and deal with whatever hand he is dealt.
It is actually an opportunity for Cook to improve himself as a captain, and to learn a lot over the next few weeks. He will almost certainly have to handle an attack featuring two spinners, too, with James Tredwell probably alongside Graeme Swann after his excellent performance in the warm-up match against Bangladesh A.
Cook has had a good start to his England captaincy career, winning all three of the 50-over one-day internationals, but Bangladesh are certainly no pushovers on their home grounds and they have some highly-talented and fast-improving cricketers such as Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan.
But it is good that we might well see more of what Cook is about as a potential future full-time England captain.
Q: What do you make of Eoin Morgan? Is he ready for Test cricket?
A: I don’t think the England selectors and management believe that he is ready yet, because they are a bit worried that his technique might not stand up to the probings of a good Test attack. But he is clearly a huge talent and England are lucky to have him.
My own view is that if Morgan wants to play Test cricket, and succeed at that level, he needs to go out and score loads of County Championship runs for Middlesex.
Q: And what about the current situation with Adil Rashid?
A: It was just not right that Rashid was taken by England to South Africa, largely to carry drinks and bowl in the nets for the best part of three months.
It was a waste of his time, and also detrimental to his development. He should have been sent out to Australia to play grade cricket for a whole winter, because he needs to play.
He is a rare gem: a decent leg-spinner who seems a natural bowler and an all-round cricketer who could easily develop into a top six batsman at Test level. But he needs to learn his game in the middle – not in the nets.