Tom Curran impressed for England during the recent T20I series against Australia and should be brought in for the second ODI between the two nations on Sunday afternoon.
The hosts were defeated by 19 runs in the series opener on Friday despite having held in a strong position a quarter of the way through the contest.
Eoin Morgan’s side had reduced the tourists to 123-5 by the 24th over through a combination of pace and wrist-spin.
However, the Aussies were let off the hook in the middle overs, with Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell putting together an ultimately match-defining 126-run partnership.
After the raw pace of Wood and Archer, the accuracy and skill of Woakes and the guile of Adil Rashid, both batsman would have been relieved when Moeen Ali removed his cap and came on for a lengthy spell.
The Worcestershire star bowled accurately, but he didn’t look threatening and wasn’t able to build pressure as the Australian duo began to wrest back momentum.
Ali’s inclusion as an all-rounder does strengthen England’s batting in the absence of Ben Stokes and as he showed in the final T20I against Pakistan, that he’s capable of spectacular innings’.
However, he’s currently not offering enough with his off-spin to be England’s fifth bowler in a five-man attack.
Ali has taken just one ODI wicket in 2020 and since the end of 2018, he has just seven scalps at an average of 114.8.
Following an unsuccessful run chase, it may initially seem illogical for England to drop a batting all-rounder for Tom Curran, who is stronger with the ball in hand.
Yet, it’s greater potency England require in attack rather than extra firepower with the bat.
The Surrey star had a difficult series against Ireland earlier this summer but his career average of 35.64 is vastly superior to Ali’s and his array of slower balls ensures he can bowl either in the middle overs or at the death.
Especially with Steve Smith set to return to the Australia line-up, if England want to take ten wickets in the second ODI, Tom Curran should be in their lineup.