Birmingham, July 15 (IANS) Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad has urged the national team to immediately start playing an extra fast seamer to build necessary pace and depth ahead of the next ODI World Cup, warning that their 50-over flaws have been thoroughly exposed in their first ODI defeat to India.

Broad’s comments came after India registered a comprehensive six-wicket victory over England at Edgbaston to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The defeat leaves Harry Brook’s side languishing at eighth spot in the ODI rankings.

Though England recovered from a precarious 80/5 to post 258, courtesy of Joe Root’s unbeaten 76 and Liam Dawson’s maiden ODI half-century, the target proved to be insufficient as Shubman Gill’s masterful 80 along with fifties from Axar Patel and Washington Sundar took the visitors home.

It didn’t help England that they were playing only Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue as their fast bowling options. “England are eighth in the world rankings and are playing like they are eighth. They need to get more experience into the roles of the players. After defeat at Edgbaston, there might be a shift in mindset towards playing another seamer,” Broad said to Sky Sports on Wednesday.

He also believes England must address their lack of seam-bowling options on an urgent basis, especially with the next ODI World Cup scheduled to be played in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

“Looking ahead to the next World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, it’s going to be the faster, taller bowlers who do the damage there. Given the make-up and balance of this side, with Rashid, Liam Dawson and Will Jacks, along with the part-time spin options of Jacob Bethell and Joe Root, I’d be leaning towards playing an extra seamer instead of one of the spinners because it gives that bowler experience and exposure to match situations.”

Now, ahead of the second ODI to be played at Cardiff on Thursday, Broad further pointed out that relying too heavily on Archer to deliver breakthroughs is unsustainable and called for a more balanced bowling attack that can take wickets during the middle overs.

“Taking 10 wickets in an ODI, particularly through that middle period, is difficult. I look at Archer – he’s a natural wicket-taker, the best white-ball bowler we have. Tongue can take wickets. Rashid can take wickets. But I feel England need one more fast bowler to back up that group.

“Sam Curran is a very good cricketer, but he’s not a first-change seam bowler. England need someone to come through in the middle overs, bowl bouncers and seamers, and take the outside edge, so they don’t have to go to Archer all the time. Could that be Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson or Saqib Mahmood? England need to start trialling that now,” he concluded.

–IANS

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