Brook and Jacks lead resurgent England into tri-series with World Cup in sight

The kids have permission for the 20-over show. Thomas Rew, 18, could become the third-youngest man to play for England. Eddie Jack, 21, has played seven T20s, but the eighth could be for his country.

Both will tour Australia next month as part of the squad for the shortest form, but they have not made the cut for the one-day international leg of the tour, spelling out the mission statement. With the 50-over World Cup less than a year away, ODIs are where England must, as Logan Roy might say, be serious people.

After a few poor years in the format, with that dreadful World Cup defence in late 2023 followed by a winless Champions Trophy in early 2025, things have picked up. Harry Brook and Brendon McCullum have overseen three consecutive series wins this year and while Sri Lanka, beaten home and away, are unlikely to challenge for the trophy next year, India certainly will.

All three series went to deciders and on each occasion England did what once made them revolutionary under Eoin Morgan: crush their way to 350-plus totals, scoreboard pressure doing the rest. Even Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, powered up at Lord’s, fell just short.

A tri-series in Pakistan, with England’s campaign starting on Tuesday in Rawalpindi, should employ a very different rhythm, with Sri Lanka (yes, them again) making up the competition. Pakistan have just returned home from their dire showing against the Dukes in England, but will undoubtedly put up more of a challenge in pyjamas on their own tracks.

When an under-strength Australia made the trip in June, they were presented with turners in Rawalpindi and Lahore, 231 the highest total in three matches as Shaheen Afridi’s side triumphed 2-1, making it three consecutive series wins at home. This should be a lot tighter than those Test matches in the summer.

It is natural to wonder what Brook will pull out of the hat, returning to a country where he has hit four Test hundreds, including a triple, and earned respect long ago for winning the Pakistan Super League with Lahore Qalandars. But the most fascinating player in England’s white-ball setup is Will Jacks, once an opener and now their established finisher, bowling off-breaks with enough bite to make him England’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs this year.

Jacks made his international debut four years ago in Pakistan, but was in and out until Brook, a roommate during their England Under-19s days, ascended to the white-ball captaincy and gave him a job in the middle order. The right-hander always had power – he hit six sixes in an over as a 20-year-old in a pre-season match – but there is a calmness there when it is needed, resulting in a string of red-inkers at the T20 World Cup this year.

When England stumbled in the middle overs against Sri Lanka on a sticky one at Chester-le-Street last month, Jacks played it patiently with an unbeaten 46 before nipping in with a five-fer.

He will twirl away in Pakistan alongside Adil Rashid and Mason Crane could end up ripping a few as well. Nearly nine years have passed since Crane’s one Test cap, but the former Hampshire leggie has found a way back after a revival at Glamorgan and earned an England development contract, too. With Rehan Ahmed omitted, Crane could make a play as the replacement for when Rashid departs.

James Coles and Henry Crocombe are the two uncapped picks and the latter has been granted a remarkable show of faith: a two-year central contract before he has bowled a ball in international cricket.

Jofra Archer has been rested, which is potentially problematic for a side still a touch short on magic with the ball, while Jacob Bethell and Jos Buttler are missing with injury. That was not a problem against Sri Lanka in the deciding ODI at the Oval, when their replacements were key: Tom Banton hit his first international century and Jordan Cox played his tricks for a rapid 76.

Banton, 27, is like Jacks, an age-group teammate of Brook, someone who had a go with England in his early 20s, but has only recently begun to settle at this level. Cox had a false start against West Indies a couple of years ago, but is now a strong bet to become an all-format regular.

They have had their growing pains, as has Brook in ODI cricket, having barely played the format for Yorkshire. But they have come through it, leaving England in a healthy spot, with at least 20 ODIs to round off the edges before their opening game of next year’s World Cup against Bangladesh in Namibia. The kids are in for the T20s, but the 50-over game is a grown-up show for now.