Spin, Crocombe and Curran: Questions for England in ODI tri-series

As ever, there is little rest for the England men's cricket team.

Having completed an ODI series victory over Sri Lanka on September 27, they return to that format in the subcontinent from Tuesday as they take on Pakistan in Rawalpindi - live on Sky Sports (9am first ball) - in a tri-series that also includes Sri Lanka.

It marks the start of a packed winter schedule that goes on to feature a white-ball tour of Australia, Test trips to South Africa and Bangladesh and then a return to Australia for the pink-ball, 150th-anniversary Test match in March.

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Here we look at the questions for England in this tri-series and what knock-on effects they could have for the Test challenges to come…

Will spinners press claims for Test call-ups?

When it comes to spin bowling in white-ball cricket, England have struck on a decent formula. Adil Rashid as the main man - something he has been for well over a decade now - supported by a number of all-rounders, including Will Jacks and Liam Dawson.

In Test cricket, though, spin is a real issue. Dan Lawrence is the first-choice option for now, principally because of his batting prowess, and while Shoaib Bashir has received another central contract, he has only played two Tests in the last year.

So, this white-ball series in the subcontinent offers the chance for England's younger spinners - Jacks, James Coles and the recalled Mason Crane - to push for squad places on the Test tour of South Africa from December 17, also live on Sky Sports.

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Jacks, who played in four Ashes Tests last winter, and Coles could appeal because they, like Lawrence, bring much with the bat. Crane is the only out-and-out bowler in that trio but has advanced his batting with two Championship tons for Glamorgan last term.

At the very least, Crane, in line for his first England appearance since 2018, will be keen to prove he should be Rashid's leg-spin back-up in ODI cricket and perhaps his long-term successor, too, having leapfrogged Rehan Ahmed in the white-ball pecking order.

Will we see what the fuss is about with Crocombe?

Seam bowler Henry Crocombe was awarded a two-year central contact last week despite not yet having made a senior appearance for his country. That shows the regard England hold him in and you sense he will be unleased sooner or later.

The 25-year-old, who will join Surrey from Sussex ahead of the 2027 domestic season, has enjoyed most success in red-ball cricket to date, with his 125 wickets in 51 matches including back-to-back hat-tricks against Somerset and Essex this campaign.

Crocombe's 50-over stats are not too shabby, though - 49 wickets in 36 matches - and the length of his central contract would suggest England view him as a multi-format bowler, alongside Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson.

The Eastbourne-born quick is set to make his T20I debut in Australia in November, while he must have an excellent shout of making that Test trip to South Africa as well.

Big few months coming up for Duckett?

Another talking point from England's updated central-contract list last week was Ben Duckett missing out on a two-year extension. The batter's deal runs until 2027 so he probably shouldn't be fretting about his spot too much, although he could do with some runs.

To be fair, the 31-year-old has scored runs in ODIs since a lean time in that format towards the end of 2025 when he registered a top-score of 31 at home to South Africa and then managed only 11 in three games away to New Zealand.

But with Jacob Bethell soon to return from injury and Tom Banton having just hit his maiden ODI hundred, perhaps Duckett's opening berth is not quite as secure as it was.

If the Nottinghamshire man endures a tough time in this tri-series and then in the one-day internationals in Australia next month, chat will inevitably turn to the surety of his Test place, too.

Duckett is averaging only 23.42 across his last 11 Tests with a solitary hundred and a second-highest score of 42. His name has not really been mentioned when it comes to who will drop out of the XI when Bethell is back. He will want to keep it that way...

Will Curran audition to be the new Stokes?

Sam Curran has not played a Test match in over five years, mainly because England had Ben Stokes fulfilling the pace-bowling all-rounder job but with Stokes bowing out from international cricket this summer, in typically eye-catching style, there is a spot available.

Curran would probably have been involved in the 3-0 red-ball rout of Pakistan if not for a groin injury ending his home summer early and he has surely been earmarked for a place in South Africa this winter, in the squad at least, if not the XI.

England don't need a reminder of the Surrey player's talent before he returns to the Test arena - he is whip-smart and tenacious, has variations with the ball and class with the bat, and having captained domestically, would add much-needed leadership to the group.

It's probably just a case of where his body is at after that injury.

Will England continue ODI upturn?

If you rewind to around this time last year, when England were whumped 3-0 in New Zealand, we were beginning to wonder whether the 2019 World Cup winners would have to go through the ignominy of a qualifying tournament to reach the 2027 edition in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, such was their lowly ranking.

However, back-to-back series wins in Sri Lanka and at home to India - Harry Brook's side coming from behind to win both of those assignments - assuaged any fears and they then made it three ODI series victories on the trot when they beat - no, thrashed - Sri Lanka in a decider at The Kia Oval last month.

England will be expected to make the tri-series final as the teams ranked fifth (Pakistan), sixth (England) and seventh (Sri Lanka) meet over the next week and a bit, especially with their 50-over success against Sri Lanka already this year.

They should face a stronger Pakistan than the one they crushed in the Test arena this summer - the tri-series hosts started with a victory over Sri Lanka and have won their last three bilateral ODI series at home, including against Australia and South Africa.

If England can continue their 50-over resurgence here, it will only add to the notion that they could be genuine contenders at the 2017 World Cup, a competition they were once scrambling to qualify for.

Watch England's tri-series opener, against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 8.30am on Tuesday (9am first ball). Latest Sky Sports deals or stream with no contract