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With Rohit Sharma-led Team India clinching the three-match ODI series against England on Sunday, February 9 in Cuttack, the two teams will now travel to Ahmedabad for the final match, set to be played on Wednesday, February 12 at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Ahead of the third ODI, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have added Somerset batter Tom Banton as cover.
This addition to the England side comes after Warwickshire all-rounder Jacob Bethell sustained a left hamstring injury in the opening match of the series in Nagpur. Although, the ECB confirmed that Bethell will be further assessed on Monday, February 10, they have opted to call up Banton as his cover.
Tom Banton to join England squad ahead of third ODI vs India
Tom Banton is expected to join the side on Monday and will only be available to play the third ODI in Ahmedabad. "England Men have called up Somerset batter Tom Banton as cover for the third ODI against India in Ahmedabad, which starts on Wednesday. Warwickshire batting all-rounder Jacob Bethell, who featured in the first ODI defeat in Nagpur, has sustained a left hamstring injury. The injury will be assessed further when the team arrives in Ahmedabad on Monday," ECB in its release said.
It is to be noted that Jacob Bethell played three T20Is in the five-match series, but failed to make a mark. However, he fared well in the ODI, scoring a half-century along with picking a crucial wicket of Shreyas Iyer. Apart from this, England will hope that Bethell recovers in time for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, set to get underway from February 19 after he was named in the 15-member provisional squad.
On the other hand, Tom Banton, who last played for England in an ODI in August 2020, has been in outstanding form in T20 franchise cricket. He is currently the leading run-scorer in the UAE ILT20 competition, where he has amassed 493 runs from 11 innings at an average of 54.77, including two centuries.
England's updated ODI squad for India tour
Jos Buttler (Lancashire) (Captain), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Brydon Carse (Durham), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Jamie Overton (Surrey), Jamie Smith (Surrey), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Phil Salt (Lancashire), Mark Wood (Durham), Tom Banton (Somerset).
