Often when one thinks of a major tournament and what it takes for a team to win it, buzzwords like preparation and marginal gains come to mind.
Coaching gurus often hail the perfect pre-tournament environment as key to their successes.
England’s apparent lack of preparation has widely been touted as a key reason for their monumental failure in defending the 50-over Cricket World Cup in India last year.
It’s not extra pressure but the pride was obviously dented [at the last World Cup] and it was a really disappointing competition
England captain Jos Buttler
Undercooked?
They met at short notice and were undercooked in the one-day format, often rotating players in matches.
When they played New Zealand in a preparation series, the talk was about Harry Brook rather than the fine-tuning of the team.
Then it unravelled and the results were there for all to see when it mattered at the World Cup.
This time around, for next month’s T20 World Cup, the preparation is different; and controversial for some distant onlookers.
England coach Matthew Mott, captain Jos Buttler and managing director Rob Key recalled eight players early from the Indian Premier League, which left some fans of the T20 franchise tournament furious.
But it gives the team time to train together ahead of a four-match series against Pakistan, starting this evening at Headingley, before the team fly out to the Caribbean for the World Cup, which begins on 4 June.
“That’s the main reason we all came back [from the IPL],” all-rounder Sam Curran said this week.
“The messaging from Jos and the coaching staff was they wanted to get the group back together and we probably didn’t have that last time.
“We’ve been apart for a while so these games are going to be really crucial. We want to be playing as a team and get used to our roles.
“There’s a lot of buzz around the group, it seems like we’re back to our energy and it seems like the boys are really fizzed about this trophy hopefully coming back.”
T20 World Cup hopes
Added captain Butler yesterday: “It’s not extra pressure but the pride was obviously dented [at the last World Cup] and it was a really disappointing competition.
“But life moves on, it’s a chapter in the book and there’s lessons you learn but we’re presented with a new opportunity now, in a different format.
“We go to the West Indies and want to give a better account of ourselves. It’s a real honour to go to another World Cup as defending champions again but it also feels like a new time.”
Liam Livingstone and Mark Wood are working through knee injuries to reach the World Cup but they are rehabilitating with England as part of the group.
England’s rushed preparation was laid bare at the last World Cup, and this time round – with less than half the overs available in a T20 match to make an impact – every ball counts.
The proof will be in the pudding as to whether England can defend their title but marginal gains and preparation have always been important. And England are seemingly re-embracing the importance of those now.
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