England's fresh start under new white-ball captain Harry Brook has already seen a bold call ahead of the first ODI against West Indies at Edgbaston, starting on Thursday: promoting Jamie Smith to open the batting.
Smith, traditionally a middle-order batter and Test wicketkeeper, has never opened in List A cricket. But Brook and head coach Brendon McCullum believe the 23-year-old could be an “amazing” opener in the white-ball setup.
“We’ve got a hunch,” Brook said. “He’s opened in first-class and T20s before and we think he can take advantage of the powerplay.”
Smith partners Ben Duckett at the top, while Jos Buttler—freed from captaincy duties following England’s dismal Champions Trophy campaign—returns at No. 5 with the gloves. Brook called Buttler “the best white-ball player in the world” and hopes his return to a more focused batting role will reignite his game.
England have lost their last seven ODIs and begin the three-match series in eighth place in the ICC rankings—just ahead of West Indies. With qualification for the 2027 World Cup looming large, Brook stressed the importance of momentum: “It’s a new era with new leadership. We want to bring energy, compete hard, and have fun doing it.”
The squad includes IPL returnees Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, and Buttler, offering the side better balance than seen during recent white-ball struggles. Jacks, who often opens in T20s, will instead bat at No. 7, just ahead of fellow all-rounder Bethell and pacers Jamie Overton and Brydon Carse.
The bowling attack will lack Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, and Gus Atkinson, all out injured.
West Indies, led by Shai Hope, enter the series focused on their own qualification battle. “It’s a fresh start,” Hope said. “We know what’s at stake. To get to 2027, we have to tick every box now.”
Bethell, playing on his home ground at Edgbaston, will face off against his birthplace, Barbados, with Hope praising the 21-year-old as a “formidable talent.” But as Hope warned, “We’re enemies this time.”
