'There's not too much to worry about cohesion' - Jonny Bairstow confident of England's abilities ahead of ODI World Cup

As the cricketing world eagerly anticipates the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in India next month, England are preparing to defend their title with renewed optimism. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recently unveiled their 15-member provisional squad for the tournament, led by captain Jos Buttler.

One of the most significant surprises in the squad was the return of all-rounder Ben Stokes, who had retired from ODI cricket but reversed his decision ahead of the upcoming World Cup. Stokes is set to make his comeback in the four-match ODI series against New Zealand, which will serve as a crucial preparation for the World Cup.

However, the absence of promising young batter Harry Brook and star quick Jofra Archer from the initial squad has raised eyebrows. Archer's inclusion is only as a travelling reserve, emphasizing England's depth in fast bowling options.

Despite the squad's diverse composition and the challenges posed by limited international cricket over the past four years, Jonny Bairstow shows confidence in the team's cohesion. Bairstow believes that the wealth of experience among the players will play a pivotal role in overcoming any potential hurdles.

"We'll rock up to Cardiff and see all the lads: it'll be just like normal, It's great to have a group that has a wealth of experience coming back together," Bairstow said as quoted by Indianews.

"It is going to be good fun. I don't think there's too much worry about cohesion, or people not having played together for two, six, 12, 18 months - whatever it may be. I don't think that's too much of a worry when the group has played together for seven or eight years. It's one of those where you just fit back and you slot back into your roles,” he added.

Bairstow showed confidence in his team and said that the players are playing Test and T20 cricket and will adapt to the 50 over format as well.

"Naturally, there'll be conversations around, 'well, you're not playing much 50-over cricket together' and all this stuff. But the guys have been playing Test cricket or T20 cricket to have the skillset to play both of those is a skill set that you're able to take both parts of into 50-over cricket. It can throw different bits at you."

As England embark on their World Cup journey, the team's collective experience and Bairstow's unwavering confidence in their ability to adapt and excel will undoubtedly be something to watch out for in the tournament.