It is needless to say that Jos Buttler will have more pressure over his shoulders than his West Indian opponents as his England begin their interesting and challenging white ball tour to the West Indies with game one already underway at Antigua. 

The recent World Cup campaign debacle – and a debacle it really was- isn’t the only reason for it. The present-day England white-ball ODI squad in the Caribbean neither has Ben Stokes or Chris Woakes, nor Adil Rashid, Mark Wood or Joe Root, the latter one of the world’s batters. 

Moreover, despite the talent and flair in youngsters like John Turner, Brydon Carse, Tom Hartley, and Gus Atkinson, England will be mindful of the fact that they had lost the white ball series to the West Indies when they last played cricket there. 

Even as that was back in January of 2022, which doing simple schoolboy math was almost two years back in the day, England may feel just that extra bit of heat of not playing in home comfort. 

For that is where they’d have liked to thrive, isn’t it? 

But then life’s never kind. Sport definitely isn’t. And it isn’t for Shai Hope and his team. Make no mistake. In the same contests where, at the moment, it seems, the West Indies have a strong chance of dominating, it isn’t that the don’t have their share of concerns, if one could use that phrase. 

For starters, Hope would certainly have liked his former white ball captain and good friend, Nicholas Pooran around. 

But the Trinidadian, who fired up big knocks in the World Cup qualifiers earlier this year, changed his game plan, prioritised holding on to the wicket over reckless aggression, is not available in this series. 

Ditto for one on the most valuable West Indian talents in the past decade, a man of commitment and a man who formerly led the side with gusto and simplicity: Jason Holder. Former West Indies all format captain is busy in the Abu Dhabi T10.

Wouldn’t he been used rather well for national duties? Was Hon’ble Desmond Haynes informed by Holder himself? Was the best call made whether by the legendary Haynes or Holder himself about eschewing the contests against England? There are eight limited overs games on the cards.

But then Shamarh Brooks isn’t available as well, which arguably is not a huge miss since the otherwise elegant white ball player wasn’t in great nick any way as seen earlier- or is it?

So what does the Shai Hope-led side have in store for England? 

With youngsters who are keen to cement their place such as Keacy Carty, best known for his valuable effort against the Dutch in The Netherlands on his maiden international assignment (2021) and that courageous fifty against Sri Lanka (87 off 96) in the World Cup qualifiers, the West Indies have fresh promise. 

There’s the assurance of Alick Athanaze, undisputedly the most interesting batting talent around and a youngster whose best days are ahead of him. The way the left hander from Dominjca batted against an opponent like India most recently (pre World Cup) was exemplary and a sign of hope for Shai. 

One would say together the experience of utility all rounder Roston Chase and the passion experience of Alzarri Joseph, who’s well past 100 one day international wickets and is the best speedster in the white ball arena for the national side, the hosts are on good footing. 

That’s despite not having for some strange reason the otherwise reliable and exceedingly capable- Akeal Hosein and Kyle Mayers. 

No one wishes to engage in moral lecturing. Let that be clear. Moreover, no cricket journalist anywhere in the world achieve enlightenment in telling experienced campaigners what to do. 

But if there’s a critical series already underway happening and the island natjon’s premier white ball players are occupied elsewhere at a time where their opponents are a team called England, then what is happening? 

Are selectors, one hopes with much sincerity, in alignment with the imminent future of names that are truly a force to reckon with in Caribbean cricket- such as Pooran, Mayers, Hosein? 

Maybe they’ll soon be back. Maybe they’ll be found playing T20 franchise cricket in a bid to get familiar with what’s to be the dominant discourse given 2024. Remember, a lot about men’s game in the months to follow will be about the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean. 

However, Shai Hope will count on his precious experience and that unquestionable game changing ability to hold the fort for his West Indies and show them a way to counter England. After all, who better than Hope himself whose ODI strike rate is 96 this year with the Bajan having darted a century in South Africa in what was his maiden game as West Indies one day captain. A fighting ton in the World Cup qualifiers not long after the ton in Protea land would soon follow. 

Having said that, the man who needs just 60 more runs to reach 5,000 runs in the said format would also count on his bowlers to get the better of dangerous hitters such as a Liam Livingstone. If Livingstone isn’t a clear a force to reckon with for Buttler’s team, then who is? 

All of that said, England have a score to settle with the West Indies who enjoyed thumping wins early last year albeit in the T20I format. But then, who wouldn’t want the Poms to succeed in these one dayers. There are many more than the irreplaceable Barmy Army who’d love that. 

feature image– Windies Cricket board (Facebook page)

Surely, Shai Diego Hope and his squad of youngsters won’t. And maybe they’ll see to it that England don’t have the last laugh. But then, all of that is conjecture. The game is begun. Let’s dive in and see what’s to follow- shall we?