England’s captain, Jos Buttler, shared his perspective on the potential inclusion of all-rounder Ben Stokes in their upcoming World Cup match against South Africa. Stokes came out of retirement to participate in the 50-over format, aiming to contribute to England’s title defense. However, since arriving in India, Stokes has yet to play a match due to a minor hip injury sustained during a practice session before their campaign opener against New Zealand. Stokes, eager to return to action, has declared himself available for the clash against South Africa on Thursday.
Following a surprising defeat to Afghanistan in their previous match, Buttler will be assessing all available options.
“Yeah, I think I’ve got a lot of options within the squad selection, and it’s always challenging to find the right balance. It also depends on the venue, so it’s been a good opportunity to assess the pitch today and gather more information. Ben trained really well last night, and it’s great to see him back. He brings a lot on the field and with his leadership skills, he’s someone we can always rely on. So, he adds a lot of value,” Buttler stated in the pre-match press conference.
Buttler also discussed their opponents, South Africa, who have been playing excellent cricket in this World Cup. South Africa made a strong statement with a 134-run victory over Australia.
Buttler acknowledged the threat posed by the Proteas and said, “Yeah, I think they’ve been playing some really good cricket. Their top six is strong, and their pace bowling is one of their strengths, which both teams appreciate. We have pace in both our attacks, and both teams like pace on the ball, so it should be an exciting contest. They’re a formidable team, and you always expect a tough challenge when you face South Africa. It’s going to be a fantastic game.”
South Africa will face England on Friday at the Ekana Sports City in Lucknow.
England Squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, David Willey, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes.
South Africa Squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Andile Phehlukwayo, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Rassie van der Dussen, Lizaad Williams.
