Jason Roy: England opener ‘gutted’ to lose T20 World Cup spot, says managing director Rob Key | Cricket News

Jason Roy was said to be “gutted” after being dropped from England’s T20 World Cup squad, while Rob Key also spoke of an increased role for Ben Stokes at the tournament and a promotion to open for Jonny Bairstow.

Key, the ECB’s managing director of men’s cricket, described the move to drop Roy as “unfortunate timing”, with the opener paying the price for an extended lean streak with the bat this summer.

Roy scored just 78 runs in six T20 internationals, averaging 12.66. He also began his Hundred campaign for the Oval Invincible with three ducks in four innings. He wasn’t included in England’s 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup in October, nor the 19-man group selected for the preceding T20 tour in Pakistan, which begins on September 20.

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London Invincibles batsman Jason Roy was bowled for a two-ball duck in The Hundred as his recent run of poor form with the bat continued

Despite his recent poor form, Key stressed that the 32-year-old Roy – a key part of England’s 50-over World Cup win in 2019 – still had a future at international level.

“He was obviously very disappointed,” Key said. “‘Gutted’ was the phrase that he used, and he just wanted to make sure that this wasn’t the end.

“Jos [Buttler] was the one who rung him, he wanted to be the one to tell him. Myself and [head coach] Matthew Mott have spoken to him since.

“He’s obviously very disappointed and wants to have the chance to go and show that he’s not finished in international cricket – which none of us feel that he is. I still think he’s a fantastic player, it’s just that literally the timing has been awful for him.

Jonny Bairstow will open the batting for England in the T20 World Cup after Jason Roy’s axing

“The latest we could announce this squad was the 16th [of September], so it wasn’t like we could use Pakistan. You’d be taking a gamble as to whether or not he could find form in that time.”

Key added: “I don’t see any way that this is his T20 career over, it’s just a case of him finding form. I’m sure he’ll get plenty of opportunities, given the abundance of T20 cricket there is around the world.

“I certainly don’t think, with the age that he is, that this is the end of Roy.

“I’d argue that the 50-over format is his strongest suit, and we still see him as very much a part of that set-up.”

Bairstow to open | Stokes to move up the order

With Roy dropping out, it opens up a spot at the top of the order alongside captain Jos Buttler, and Key confirmed that Bairstow will fill that position for the World Cup.

That then also allows for Ben Stokes to jump up to number four in the order as England look for their star all-rounder to have a greater impact in the shortest format on an international stage.

Rob Key is hopeful a promotion up the order for Ben Stokes will help him find his best form in T20 international cricket

Stokes has not played a T20 international since March 2021 and averages a modest 20.09 with the bat in his 34 appearances and is yet to hit a half century in the format – though he has batted in the top four on only three occasions.

“I’d like to get Ben Stokes up the order a little bit,” Key confirmed. “In T20 cricket, I feel that, generally, we haven’t quite found his best role. Coming in later, that doesn’t make the most of Stokes.

“Every time he has done well in the IPL, I would argue, is either when he has been opening the batting or has got in earlier – his team two or three down – and he has had the chance to influence a game.

“The knock-on effect of everything we’re doing is that hopefully Stokes has a more fulfilled role in T20 cricket and we get the best out of him in the big games.”

Hales ‘mentioned’ as Roy replacement but misses out

Alex Hales was one name who was touted for a possible England recall, but once again wasn’t picked, continuing his international exile since failing a recreational drugs test in 2019.

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Eoin Morgan says that Alex Hales’ quality has never been in question and that it’s more the case of whether the team and selectors can trust him.

Key said that Hales was considered and that he felt he had “served his time”, but missed out due to the sheer number of options England have available to them at the top of the order.

“Alex Hales was mentioned a lot,” Key said. “But we just felt the best combination at this time was going to be Bairstow and Buttler [opening the batting].

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Nasser Hussain shares his thoughts on whether Alex Hales should return to England reckoning following another star performance in The Hundred for Trent Rockets.

“I think I’ve said on a number of occasions that I feel that Alex Hales has served his time for his misdemeanours.

“It’s just about now, on form, who is the best person to go out there? And we feel Bairstow is one of the best opening batsmen in T20 cricket in the world.”

Key added: “I spoke to Hales actually, he rang me, and he argued his case. I much prefer it when these people pick up the phone and say, ‘come on then, why wasn’t I there?’

“I have a huge amount of respect for that, as opposed to people who go behind the scenes and moan about why they haven’t been picked for something.

“It’s just an unfortunate time [for him] where there are a hell of a lot of good players. People say it’s a good problem to have, but it’s not straightforward as to who you pick as a batter in white-ball cricket because there are so many different options – there are a lot of people who have also missed out who could have quite rightly said, ‘how come I’m not in?'”

Key hopeful England’s injury luck will change

Named in both of England’s squads for Pakistan and the T20 World Cup in Australia are pace bowlers Chris Woakes and Mark Wood, having recovered from their respective injuries, while Chris Jordan (finger) and Liam Livingstone (ankle) will continue their rehab and will not tour Pakistan, but they remain “on track” for the World Cup.

Buttler, meanwhile, is also recovering from a calf injury and though he will tour Pakistan, the captain is expected to only be available to play during the latter stages of the seven-match series. In Buttler’s absence, Moeen Ali will captain the side.

While it is still unknown how each player will pull up ahead of the tournament, Key is hopeful that England’s bad luck with injuries is about to change.

“They are back in, with fingers crossed – that is the best way you could say it,” he said. “That’s why it has been a very fiddly selection.

Mark Wood is back in the England fold after an elbow injury that has kept him out this summer

“The likelihood is, with Wood and Woakes, is that they’ll start getting fit towards the back-end of that Pakistan trip.

“But it’s all well and good getting people fit, but we’ve got to make sure that, if they are our best option, that they are in rhythm and in form.

“There is no point having guys back if they’re not able to perform to their ability, because of the long layoff they’ve had.

“Now it’s just a case of let’s hope that our luck changes in terms of injuries and that we have those guys able to take a full role when it comes to that World Cup.”