'Runs the currency' as batting decision looms

England selector Luke Wright said "runs are the currency" as a decision looms over the batting line-up for marquee series against India and Australia later this year.

Opener Zak Crawley and number three Ollie Pope have been retained for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge this month.

It could be both men need a score to hold off the challenge of Jacob Bethell, who impressed in his maiden series against New Zealand but is unavailable to face Zimbabwe because he is at the Indian Premier League.

"In international cricket, someone is always under pressure or scrutiny from the outside," said Wright.

"This is no different. I have no doubt those boys will do well. When they are playing well, we're a better team."

"Any player knows that runs are the currency. Any batter wants to get runs."

Left-hander Bethell, 21, took an unexpected opportunity to bat at number three in New Zealand in December by making a half-century in each of the three Tests.

Even though he is missing the Test against Zimbabwe, Wright praised the Warwickshire man, highlighting the benefit of his left-arm spin and the experience he is gaining by opening the batting with India great Virat Kohli for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

When Bethell does become available - for the five-Test series against India in June - England will have a choice to make. If they want him in their XI, Crawley and Pope would be the most likely candidates to make way. Jordan Cox is also in the squad for the Trent Bridge Test, while Wright mentioned Durham opener Ben McKinney.

Pope, occupying the spot in which Bethell thrived, would appear most vulnerable, despite his position as vice-captain.

The Surrey man had a rollercoaster year in 2024, both in terms of performances and his role in the England side.

At various points, he was captain, wicketkeeper, opener and number six. Although he made a match-winning 196 in the stunning victory over India in Hyderabad, he ended the year with an average of 33.13, the lowest by any batter in Tests with three centuries in a calendar year.

Pope at least has made a hundred in the County Championship this summer, a contrast to Crawley's torrid form.

In New Zealand he was tormented by home pace bowler Matt Henry and ended the series with an average of 8.66, the lowest by an England opener playing at least six innings in a single series.

He has not reached double figures in the first innings of his four appearances for Kent, and was out for six against Middlesex at Lord's on Friday.

But England point to success Crawley has had against India and Australia, and Wright said: "We all know opening the batting in international cricket is incredibly tough. There are not many people who thrive all the way. There are always going to be dips in form.

"You want to be loyal to the people that have performed well on that stage. He's as good as anyone on his day. I'm sure he's disappointed with his last six months, but that doesn't mean he can't have a great summer."

Uncapped Essex seamer Sam Cook is named in an inexperienced pace attack for the meeting with Zimbabwe following injuries to a number of other bowlers.

Surrey's Dan Worrall could have been considered after qualifying for England, but Wright said the selectors have not spoken to the man who previously played three one-day internationals for Australia.

Former England international Wright also said captain Ben Stokes could perform a "full role" as an all-rounder after recovering from hamstring surgery.

"We'll have to make sure he doesn't do too much," said Wright. "He has a tendency to want to get stuck in. We'll just have to manage him a bit to make sure he's not doing too much."

As Stokes builds his bowling in the run-up to the series against India, he could play for England Lions in one of their two matches against India A at the end of May and beginning of June.

He may be joined by Jofra Archer, whose return from a string of injuries has been carefully managed.

Currently at the IPL, if Archer plays for the Lions it would be his first red-ball cricket in more than four years. It would also mean missing some of the white-ball internationals against West Indies that follow the Zimbabwe Test.

"We have a plan for Jof," said Wright. "It's week by week and he's ticking everything off. We're desperate to get him back into red-ball cricket and Test cricket.

"We've marked one of those games for potentially him to play that. We've got a white-ball series against West Indies coming up. If we can match that with one of those games in the Lions, that would be ideal. There's definitely an idea to use one of those games for him."