SRH batting sensation included, Jason Roy axed as England makes last-minute alteration to World Cup squad

Defending champions England have made a last-minute alteration to their World Cup lineup, substituting Jason Roy with Harry Brook from their initial squad. Roy, played a pivotal role in the team's resurgence in the format, including their triumphant campaign four years ago. However, his performance has been inconsistent since that victory.

He was absent for the recently concluded four-match ODI series against New Zealand due to back spasms. Despite captain Jos Buttler hinting at a possible inclusion in the squad for the upcoming match against Ireland, the selectors ultimately opted to omit him entirely. 

Although Roy notched significant centuries this year in Bloemfontein and Mirpur, his overall average of 31.78 in the period following the last World Cup, coupled with his recent struggles with a back injury, ultimately sealed his fate. In a further blow, Dawid Malan's stellar performance of 277 runs from three games at an average of 92.33 against New Zealand earned him the Player of the Series, cementing his spot in the squad.

Harry Brook has delivered the goods ever since his foray

Luke Wright, England's national selector said, "We have selected a squad we are confident can go to India and win the World Cup. We are blessed with an incredibly strong group of white-ball players which was underlined by the performances in the series win against a very good New Zealand team. The strength of the group has meant that we have had to make some tough decisions on world-class players with Jason Roy missing out and Harry Brook coming into the squad."

Roy's replacement, Brook, was initially omitted from the provisional squad when veteran Ben Stokes reversed his retirement and made himself available for the ODI World Cup defense. Brook featured in three out of four matches against New Zealand, primarily as an opener, but managed scores of only 25, 2, and 10. Nonetheless, he has enjoyed an otherwise remarkable start to his international career over the past year and a half, particularly in the Test format, showcasing his aggressive performances in the middle order.

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England 2023 ODI World Cup Squad: Jos Buttler (c), Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, David Willey, Reece Topley, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson

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