The ECB has recalled Sam Curran to the England Squad for the upcoming T20Is against South Africa and Ireland, with Ben Duckett given an extra week of rest after his performance dip.
Curran did not play for England in any format this year or under Head Coach Brendon McCullum’s coaching, but has been in impressive form for domestic clubs.
He has scored 603 runs with a strike rate of 154.21 and taken 33 cheap wickets during his 24 appearances in the T20 Blast and The Hundred.
His call-up comes barely 24 hours after South Africa exposed England’s dependency on Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks, who returned with combined figures of 1/112 in 10 overs, and Curran’s addition to the squad gives England more flexibility around the balance of their team.
“Surrey all-rounder Sam Curran has been added to the squad for the fixtures against South Africa, which commence at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, next Wednesday. Curran has also been included in the squad for the IT20 tour of Ireland later this month,” it added.
Ben Duckett has been handed an additional week off before England’s tours to New Zealand and Australia this winter.
He has become an all-format regular in the past 12 months and looked utterly out of sorts during an uncharacterisitically scratchy innings of 14 runs off 33 deliveries.
He scored 462 runs in nine innings during England’s drawn Test series against India this summer but has only once passed 20 in his 20 innings since – eight in The Hundred and two in this week’s ODIs.
Ben Duckett’s absence will likely see Jamie Smith and Phil Salt opening the batting together against South Africa next week, with Jacks or Tom Banton primed to replace Smith in Ireland.
England have pulled Matthew Potts out of the Ireland T20Is in a move which allow him to press his case for Ashes selection in the County Championship for Durham.
“England Men have confirmed changes to the squads for the forthcoming Vitality IT20 series against South Africa and the subsequent IT20 series in Ireland. Opening batter Ben Duckett will be rested for the three-match series against South Africa,” the ECB release stated.
The T20I series against South Africa will begin on September 10 at Sophia Gardens.
