Jamie Smith to bat up the order for England: Details
What's the story
Jamie Smith will make his debut as a No. 3 batsman in the upcoming Champions Trophy opener against Australia, on Saturday. This will be a new role for Smith, who has only batted at No. 5 or 6 in his seven-match ODI career. The match will also mark his first appearance at an ICC event. Here are the details.
Line-up changes
Joe Root shifts to No. 4 position
England's first-choice No. 3 for almost a decade, Joe Root, will now bat at No. 4. One first witnessed this in the final match of their recently-concluded ODI series in India, which England lost 3-0. With Smith batting at No. 3, England's core batting line-up of Root, Harry Brook and Jos Buttler will now bat from No. 4-6 instead of No. 3-5.
Role expansion
Smith to keep wicket in Champions Trophy opener
Apart from his new batting position, Smith will also keep wicket for England in the Champions Trophy opener against Australia. The decision comes after he was declared fit after a calf injury ruled him out for most of England's white-ball tour to India. Smith will take the gloves from Phil Salt and Jos Buttler, who will open with Ben Duckett.
Team strategy
England retain batting-heavy balance for Champions Trophy
Despite struggling to find a balance in their team after Jacob Bethell's injury in India, England have opted to stick with a batting-heavy lineup for the Champions Trophy opener. Liam Livingstone is set to bat at No. 7, meaning he and Root will have to share 10 overs between them. Brydon Carse has also been declared fit after a toe injury and will bat at No. 8 as England's third seamer.
Squad updates
Australia's squad faces challenges ahead of Champions Trophy
Australia's Champions Trophy squad has been rocked by the late withdrawals of five senior players: Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Marsh due to injuries; Marcus Stoinis has retired from ODIs; and Mitchell Starc for personal reasons. The last time these two teams met in this format was at the end of the 2024 English summer, where Australia came out on top with a 3-2 series win.
Information
England's Playing XI vs AUS
ENG XI: Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood.