What does the number one ranking in the one-day world mean to England? Over the next couple of fixtures, we are about to find out. Eoin Morgans earned that gong, formally rising to the top of the pops the year before the home World Cup, which they won. If they cant bounce back today and on Sunday, three years on, the tag moves to India.
Does it matter an awful lot when all 50-over cricket is assessed through the prism of the World Cup cycle? And when even that is governed (astutely) by the Super League? Not really. But, as Morgan said himself it, this isnt something they are coughing up mindlessly.
The degree of difficulty is greater for the visitors at Pune today after losing their captain to injury during their loss on Tuesday, having split the webbing in his right hand fielding. Sam Billings also misses after injuring his collar bone when diving around on the boundary rope. In their place comes Liam Livingstone on ODI debut and Dawid Malan. In the case of the latter, he expected to return home after the T20s, was kept on as backup and now is back in the XI.
In terms of the armband, that moves to Jos Buttler, who has led the side in Morgans absence on ten occasions since 2016, so he has a fair idea of what is what.
As for India, they have the chance to not only win this series in straight sets but, in doing so, secure all three trophies from this England visit. Again, something that isnt necessarily going to change the cricketing world as we know it, but emblematic of the brilliant 2021 this side are having across the formats.
Shreyer Iyer has been ruled out after after a shoulder injury of his own, to be replaced by Rishabh Pant or Suryakumar Yadav. Thats what you call depth. After missing out on that World Cup Final in 2019, this is a team on a mission every time they step out in blue.
Right, Ill leave it there for now. Good morning to you all.