Cape Town - When a senior player chooses to quit in mid-series it is impossible to believe that all is well with the world. On most occasions, such a move appears to play into opponents’ hands, especially those of opponents who are 1-0 up and could now have you on the run.
The timing of Ben Stokes’ departure from One-Day International (ODI) cricket, which stunned the entire cricket world let alone England, can be understood though. Stokes has recently accepted the mandate of resurrecting England’s Test team and still feels that the T20 cash cow needs to be milked for a little bit longer while his ageing body still allows.
It was noticeable at the Riverside that Stokes was well and truly in the ODI departure lounge. There was a moment during the Proteas’ innings when he threw his body full length in characteristic Stokes-like fashion to save a boundary at long-on, but did not have the legs to get there in time nor the energy to get straight back up as he lay despairingly beside the boundary rope.
It is for this reason that the Proteas are not quite rubbing their hands with glee in seeing the back of Stokes. There is a widespread feeling that England can now move on from the gloriously successful Eoin Morgan-Ben Stokes era without any guilt holding them back by re-energising their squad with the youthful talent of Phil Salt.
The 25-year-old Lancashire right-hander is part of England’s next generation of talented batters reared on white-ball cricket and honed in the T20 leagues of the Caribbean, Australia, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Having already had a brief taste of the big show, Salt has certainly looked the part with 352 runs in six matches at an average of 58.6.
"Losing Stokesy and Morgy does have an impact - they played such vital roles in winning the World Cup - but we have to keep moving forward. We have all the senior players and leaders we need, so I don't think too much has changed in terms of how we want to play,” Salt said on Thursday.
"It's very obvious that whenever you get an opportunity to play for England you have to take it with both hands. It's my first chance being around it with a full-strength squad and being in the conversation for being in the XI so that's exciting. I have been on the fringes for a while so I want to get in there and show what I can do.
“It definitely is an opportunity for people such as myself and other lads who have played bits-and-piece but not had a solid run I guess. It’s definitely an opportunity that you have to take with both hands.”
Although accustomed to opening the innings, Salt may have to slot into the middle-order due to Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow owning the top-order slots.
"[Roy and Bairstow] are the best opening partnership in 50-over cricket, there is no doubt about that. Look at the numbers, the way they play, the way they have changed how the game is played,” Salt said.
"A lot of people in international cricket want to copy them and follow how they play. They set the template for how you are going to have to play if you want to play for England.
"Everyone in the country who bats in my position will have seen what they are doing and tried to emulate it, keep pushing the boundaries and taking it further.
“I am very aware that the best players in the world can bat anywhere, the ones who can adapt, improvise and find different ways of getting the job done from all situations. The skill is reading the scoreboard and conditions and assessing what you need to do - I think it's as simple as that."
IOL Sport