Bairstow: Skilled England effectively set for ‘dream’ World Cup defence
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onny Bairstow says England’s want to fulfil the “dream” of being back-to-back world champions is fuelling their remaining preparations for subsequent month’s event in India.
Jos Buttler’s aspect head to Cardiff for the beginning of a four-match ODI collection towards New Zealand on Friday, with that run of video games the final likelihood for fine-tuning forward of subsequent month’s World Cup opener towards the identical nation in Ahmedabad on October 5.
Only two nations have ever defended the boys’s World Cup, West Indies profitable the primary two editions within the Nineteen Seventies after which Australia claiming three on the bounce between 1999 and 2007.
Those two sides are rated among the many best cricket groups in historical past and England, who’re additionally the reigning T20 world champions, have an opportunity to hitch an elite membership at a event that would show a final hurrah within the format for a era of gamers who’ve reworked the white-ball sport on this nation.
“Everyone wants to go back-to-back,” opening batter Bairstow mentioned. “Everyone does, it’s something that you dream of. But we’re under no illusion that in India it’s going be very tough, there are some quality teams around the world.
“There’s going to be some upsets, there’s going to be some interesting pitches I’m sure at times. There’ll be different conditions around the country and it’ll be the team that adapts the best that that gets the best results.”
England went into the 2019 version ranked No1 on the planet after a outstanding four-year upturn beneath Eoin Morgan, however got here dangerously near pool stage elimination following defeats to Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia. Only wins of their remaining two video games towards New Zealand and India – each impressed by Bairstow a whole lot – noticed Morgan’s aspect attain the semi-finals, the place a complete victory over Australia set-up the epic tremendous over conquer New Zealand at Lord’s.
The job seems much more daunting this time round, with hosts India sturdy favourites and no group having gained the World Cup away from house since 2007, however Bairstow believes the expertise of that jeopardy 4 years in the past will stand England in good stead.
“It wasn’t just plain sailing,” he added. “Having to win four out of the last four games in order to win the competition. We’ll be able to call up on those experiences in the big moments in the big games during the World Cup.
“There’s guys that have got a lot of experience playing over in India that’ll be in the IPL or previous white-ball series. So, hopefully we’ll be able to call upon those experiences individually.”
The upcoming collection towards New Zealand will ultimately see England return to full-strength within the 50-over format, which has been the third precedence behind Test and T20 cricket for a lot of the final 4 years.
Bairstow, like Joe Root and the unretired Ben Stokes, might be enjoying his first ODI in additional than a 12 months as a part of a squad that features 9 survivors from the 2019 triumph and the 33-year-old is assured that the chemistry constructed up throughout the final two event cycles will make amends for an absence of current follow as a unit.
“I don’t think there’s too much worry about cohesion or people not having played together for two months, six months, 12 months, 18 months, whatever it may be,” he mentioned.
“I don’t think that’s too much of a worry when the group has played together for, what was it, seven or eight years? So, it’s one of those where you just fit back and you slot back into your roles.”