England has announced that rising star Gus Atkinson will be rested for the upcoming One-Day International (ODI) series against Australia, taking place later this month. In his place, the team has selected Olly Stone to join the squad. The decision comes after Atkinson’s impressive performance in the recent test series against Sri Lanka, where he played a pivotal role in England’s 2-1 victory.
In the second Test, Atkinson made history by achieving a remarkable feat – he took a five-wicket haul and scored a century, becoming only the third cricketer to achieve this double at Lord’s. His outstanding performance earned him widespread praise, with Atkinson himself expressing his delight, saying, “I couldn’t have asked for much more, to get on both honours boards is incredible and it’ll take a bit of time to sink in.”
England captain Ollie Pope has been vocal in his admiration for Atkinson’s bowling prowess, highlighting his ability to consistently bowl near the 90 miles per hour mark while maintaining swing and seam movement. Pope believes that Atkinson’s talent is still developing, and he has a bright future ahead of him.
Atkinson’s rise to prominence has been particularly significant given the recent retirements of England’s all-time greatest wicket-taker, Jimmy Anderson, and his long-time bowling partner, Stuart Broad. England’s selectors are clearly looking to nurture the next generation of fast bowlers, and Atkinson’s performance in the Test series has given them much to be excited about.
The three-match Twenty20 series against Australia will precede the ODI series, with the first ODI scheduled for September 19th at Trent Bridge. England will be hoping to carry their recent momentum into the ODI series, and they will be looking to Olly Stone to make a strong contribution to the team’s success.
Here is the full England ODI squad:
Jos Buttler (captain), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Josh Hull, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Reece Topley and John Turner.
