ECB Rest Gus Atkinson For Australia ODIs, Announce Replacement

England pacer Gus Atkinson has been given a rest for the upcoming ODI series at home against Australia, set to begin on September 19, as announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday. Olly Stone, who recently played in two home Tests against Sri Lanka, has been named as Atkinson’s replacement.

Atkinson enjoyed a breakout Test season for England during the series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka, stepping in after the retirement of legendary fast bowler James Anderson. Over six Tests, Atkinson claimed 34 wickets at an impressive average of 20.17, with a best bowling performance of 7/45. His contributions with the bat were also notable, amassing 202 runs at an average of 25.25, including a century with a top score of 118.

The three-match T20I series will kick off on September 11, followed by a five-match ODI series. England’s opener Phil Salt will captain the T20I side due to Jos Buttler’s calf injury, which has ruled him out of the T20I series and cast doubt on his participation in the subsequent ODI series. Salt, aged 28, has an impressive T20I record, scoring 885 runs at a striking rate of 165.11 across 31 matches.

Buttler’s injury is seen as a significant blow for England in the T20I series. Meanwhile, Australia started their UK tour on a strong note with a 3-0 series win over Australia earlier this month.

England’s T20I squad: Phil Salt (C), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley, and John Turner.

England’s ODI squad: Jos Buttler (captain), Jofra Archer, Olly Stone, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Reece Topley, and John Turner.