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Could 20-Year-Old Eddie Jack Be A Wildcard Pick For England In ODIs?

Sandip Pawar

He has played 17 List A matches.

Hampshire youngster Eddie Jack could be in line for a call-up to the England side. The men’s cricket team has a monumental challenge on their hands when they tour Australia for the Ashes 2025 in November. Their fast bowling stocks are looking good with multiple options who can bowl at a rapid pace. 

The right-arm pacer less than two weeks from 20 years, has been delivering some impressive performances in his short career. During the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, England captain Ben Stokes and Mark Wood had reportedly called him up to train with the Test side. While the Ashes seems a bit far-fetched, Eddie Jack could be tried in ODI cricket. 

Eddie Jack could be a great left-field selection in England ODI side  

The 6’4” tall Hampshire quick only has 28 games to his credit in senior men’s professional cricket. But he has done enough to garner attention from those in the England team management.

He first broke onto the scene during the 2024 U19 World Cup when he starred against South Africa. He claimed 3 for 28 in that game, including the wicket of rising sensation Lhuan-dre Pretorius. 

Having shown glimpses of his raw talent at the Under-19 level, Jack has made a seamless step-up to the senior level. He has played 17 matches in List A cricket, picking up 30 wickets at an economy of around 5.50. 

In the ongoing One-Day Cup, he has picked up 11 wickets from six games albeit at a slightly high economy of 6.23. He took 3 for 70 against Nottinghamshire. 

Ahead of the England vs India Test series, Jack was part of the England Lions squad which took on India A. He left a good impression in that game, removing Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel, and Nitish Kumar Reddy. 

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Should England give Eddie Jack a go in the ODI side after the Ashes 2025?

The former world champions England have pretty decent pace resources in the likes of Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Saqib Mahmood, and Luke Wood. The problem, however, is most of them are injury prone and need to be managed well. 

Archer made his Test return during the series against India. While he is looking in pretty great shape, the team management will be extra careful with him. Atkinson, Carse, and Wood have all spent time on the sidelines recently with injuries. 

As such, England have to manage their pace bowling pool carefully. Following the Ashes, those on the Australia tour will need to have a considerable rest period. England would be wise to broaden their pool, and the likes of Sonny Baker and Eddie Jack could be great options. 

Jack is tall, has a pretty smooth bowling action that can be repeated without a significant stress on his body. His good length deliveries get awkward bounce that can trouble the batters. 

It is true that Jack doesn’t have much experience and it’s a long way until he’s truly ready. But he has all the right tools to be a star for England in the near future. Perhaps with the right backing, he can develop on the job, especially in the fifty-over format.