Sam Curran is not a frontline bowler – and it is time England realised that

At the Melbourne Cricket Ground barely a year ago, Sam Curran beamed in delight. He was player of the match in the T20 World Cup final against Pakistan and player of the tournament too: reward for his skill in adapting to the different dimensions of the grounds in Australia and the differing demands of bowling in all three phases of the innings. Down under, Curran encapsulated England’s resourcefulness and the sense of a team constantly regenerating itself.

Curran still embodies the state of England’s white-ball cricket, only for altogether less palatable reasons. He floundered in the World Cup – Exhibit A in how England’s strategy to replicate the abundance of allrounders deployed to great effect in T20 failed. Arriving in the Caribbean promised to bring some relief; instead, Curran erred in the field and then leaked 98 from 9.5 overs – England’s most expensive ever ODI figures.

It added to the uncertainty about how, as England rebuild their ODI team, Curran fits in. As a 25-year-old who contributes in all three facets of the game, a left-armer to boot and the most expensive overseas player in the history of the Indian Premier League, Curran ought to be at the heart of England’s 50-over plans.

But, just as with England’s team, his results are increasingly hard to reconcile with his quality. In seven ODIs since the start of September, Curran is averaging 19.7 with the bat and an alarming 80.5 with the ball, while conceding 7.95 an over. Indeed, as he reaches 30 ODIs, Curran’s headline numbers are chastening: an average of 22.8 with the bat and 42.3 with the ball, leaking runs at 6.28 an over.

Ever since making his international debut aged 19, the allure of Curran has been as much about what he could become as what he already is; like many of the most exciting young players, he has seamlessly flitted between roles. Yet, in England’s white-ball set-up, he is now a senior player. In Antigua on Sunday, Curran had more caps than England’s other three frontline bowlers combined. Jos Buttler is the only Englishman in the Caribbean who has played more ODI games than Curran.

And yet England are still searching for Curran’s best role. Antigua illustrated the dangers of Curran being part of a three-pronged seam attack and relied on to bowl 10 overs. While his new-ball swing can be threatening, his wicketless first spell on Sunday – conceding 30 from four overs – continued his struggles opening the bowling. Then, his evisceration by Shai Hope and co – his last 17 balls leaked 53 runs – extended Curran’s difficulties at the death.

Shai Hope took Sam Curran to the cleaners – Ashley Allen/Getty Images

There is no indication that Curran has lost pace. Instead, he is suffering from his dependence upon yorkers – which have too often became full tosses. His cutters are markedly less effective in the middle overs of ODIs than in T20s, where they benefit from the extra protection afforded by five fielders being allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Where effectiveness in T20 demands variety, the best ODI bowlers – as the World Cup attested – pound a line and length; with his stock ball not quite reliable enough, Curran allows the batsmen to set themselves for his variations.

But the first ODI still gave a hint of Curran’s qualities. His brisk 38, which included straight sixes off pace and leg spin alike, showed the timing and power that long convinced Surrey coaches that Curran’s batting would ultimately outstrip his bowling.

It also hinted at a better way to use Curran in ODI cricket. Rather than being picked as one of the four frontline bowlers, he might be better-served batting at seven. These demands ought to be well within the grasp of a player who averaged 75.7 in the 2022 County Championship, batting mainly at six and being picked as a specialist batsman, has hit three IPL half-centuries and made 95 in an ODI in India.

Promoting Curran would have another welcome effect: it would allow England to select another specialist bowler. As the fifth bowler – with Liam Livingstone either shuffling up to six or dropping out of the side – there would now be less onus upon Curran to bowl his full allocation of overs. And England would still retain abundant batting depth: Rehan Ahmed and Gus Atkinson – first-class averages of 32 and 28 – could easily be promoted from 10 and 11.

Perhaps, after a torrid World Cup, Curran simply needs a break. But whether it is in the next ODI or whenever he does return, the sense is growing that, if Curran is to remain at the heart of the side, it should be in a new role.

If the dangers of Curran as one of three specialist seamers have never been more obvious, he remains a cricketer of unusual all-round gifts. A promotion, and recasting as allrounder at No 7, might give him a better chance to show them.

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