Surrey all-rounder Sam Curran will join his older brother Tom in England’s T20 squad for the upcoming tri-series against Australia and New Zealand next month.
Curran, who is just 19 years-old, comes into the squad in place of the rested Joe Root and also as cover for Ben Stokes whose availability for the series is still uncertain following the news that he is required in court on February 13 – the date of his scheduled return for England – to answer a charge of affray in relation to the incident outside a Bristol nightclub last September.
Despite his age, left–arm seamer Curran is experienced in the shortest format, having played 43 T20 matches in all, and has the ability to swing the white ball at skiddy pace. He has recently been playing for Auckland in New Zealand’s Super Smash T20 tournament, finishing with an average of 26.16 with the bat – he scored his first T20 half-century, too – and nine wickets from his nine matches.
Curran has long been earmarked for higher honours after bursting onto the scene with Surrey as a 17-year old in 2015 and England’s management will be keen to look at him up close as another left-arm option. David Willey had a poor year with the ball in both ODI and T20I cricket in 2017 while both Reece Topley and Tymal Mills have had their fitness issues of late.
England will play two group games against Australia on February 7 and 10 in Hobart and Melbourne before heading over to New Zealand for another two group matches against the Black Caps on February 13 and 18. The final, between the top two teams at the end of the group stage, will be played in Auckland on February 21.
