World T20 2016: SWOT Analysis of England team

The 2010 Cricket World Cup will forever be remembered in England cricket folklore. Apart from winning its first ever ICC trophy, the Brits soon became a powerhouse in World cricket once again. The Brits, however, are on a winding road, unable to find inconsistency in the shortest format. While the essence of the 20 over format is the uncertainty, the momentum and team spirit is something seriously unexpected. 2015 was a year that saw England unbeaten, while in 2016, they haven’t won a single T20I yet. The recently concluded tour of South Africa has seen England backed into a corner, something they are not really accustomed to just before the start of the World T20. However, the bigger sides will know not to underestimate them. This article will take you through the Strength, Weakness, Opportunities and the Threats England carry prior to the commencement of the World T20 2016.

Strength

A settled batting order

It is no secret that England’s greatest strength lies in their batting. Skipper Eoin Morgan, Alex Hales, and Joe Root are perhaps the pillars of the batting lineup. The likes of Jos Buttler and Jason Roy will provide the explosive aspect with the former acting as a pinch hitter when required. The ability of these batsmen to change gears and play according to the situation is perhaps their biggest asset. The addition of Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali adds balance to the England side, an aspect that has been missing since 2010.

No complacency

England sides built in the 21^st century have always had the complacency factor in them. However, this time, their complacency within the side is unexpected. While one of the reasons is the presence of taskmaster Trevor Bayliss at the helm, the others will be the poor performances in bilateral series following the 2015 World Cup. The determination on the faces of the players during the tour of South Africa was clear. A no-nonsense team is the need of the hour for England.

Weakness

Inexperience

The weak link for England will certainly be the inexperience of the team. When the England squad was named, the question everyone was asking was – Who is Liam Dawson? James Vince, Jason Roy, Reece Topley, David Willey, Sam Billings and Dawson himself have never been part of an England World Cup squad previously. Adil Rashid’s experience in ICC tournaments is limited and it remains to be seen what he can bring to the table. The strategy of ‘playing the kids’ has either a complete success or complete failure element to it.

Inconsistency & Indian conditions

The Brits also have a horrific record against associate nations at ICC events. They have been beaten by the Netherlands on two occasions in World T20s, and not to forget the demoralizing losses to Ireland in 2011 and Bangladesh in 2015. The England players are also known to loathe Indian conditions. Each time they have donned the ODI shirt and jumper, they have been thrashed out of sight by the Indians. To make matters worse, Stuart Broad and Liam Plunkett are missing, a huge blow to the depleted bowling attack.

Opportunities

A new bowling regime

While much has been said about the inexperience of the England bowling, the opportunity almost presents itself to the younger pacers. The absence of Steven Finn in the initial few matches will see the mantle of leading the bowling attack fall on Chris Jordan. He will have the job of leading the likes of Reece Topley, David Willey and maybe even Ben Stokes. As mentioned earlier, the move could be hit or miss. If it’s a hit, then we will be seeing the identical bowling attack for the next five to seven years.

Threats

A ‘nothing to lose’ attitude

A team is the most powerful when they play with a ‘nothing to lose attitude.’ With the ECB in a shambolic condition following a mini civil war within the board, the team has been put together with one eye on the future. While England certainly will be the dark horses, this side is one for the future, with the average age of the side 26.