With a new era of test cricket beckoning for England there are a number of names being thrown into the hypothetic mix for a batting fix. However, not many are suggesting Dom Sibley.
I felt he was always going to struggle in test cricket with the technique he had. I think he did remarkably well to score two test centuries, but at that level he simply did not have the options to release the pressure and rotate the strike. I was less concerned with his strike rate per se, more that by not rotating the strike he was not only inviting pressure on himself but actually putting pressure on his batting partners too.
Interestingly, this winter he opted not to join the ‘Lions’ party in Australia (in hindsight a good decision as their presence was pointless), but chose to stay at home and work on his game. This was a brave decision, many would’ve been desperate to base themselves in Australia awaiting a call up.
Sibley has form when it comes to using his time off wisely. In March 2020 during the lockdown Sibley set about his fitness and lost 2 stone between the end of the South Africa series and the start of the home summer.
There is also a precedent set some 21 years ago by Mark Butcher who found himself out of the test team aged 28 after 27 test matches. He used the 2000/01 winter to work with his Dad and rebuild his technique.
“I’ve worked hard on my game,” he said. “I’ve changed things like my grip and made a few set up changes to my game.” (https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/9509.mark-gets-grips-bat-technique/)
Sibley is aged 26 and has played 22 test matches and has two test centuries. I have not seen any footage of what he has worked on this winter, the only reference I have heard is Paul Farbrace suggesting he is looking good.
Whilst a variety of names have been thrown about as England potentials; Haines, Yates, Bohannon and co, there is only one player outside of the setup who has serious credentials. That man is Joe Clarke, his record is excellent but he has batted at no4 and no5 and that is an area where Root, Stokes, Bairstow and Pope all want to bat.
Sibley has a good record, his average and centuries are far ahead of most of he peers/competitors.
Often on Sky Sports Cricket, Atherton and in particular Hussain will talk about players with a ‘higher ceiling’ usually referring to a combination of their age and potential. A classic example here is Sibley versus Rory Burns.
This is all theory, but if Sibley has fundamentally changed his technique this could be a great time for him to re-assert himself in test cricket. I hope he returns side on and with an orthodox grip to allow him to access the offside, don’t worry too much about his strike rate, but I hope he can rotate the strike and we can bat around him.
Three players to watch this summer; Sibley, Ben Foakes and Craig Overton. With a new coach and selector likely these three very competent cricketers might well get an extended run in the team.
13 man squad: Crawley, Sibley, Clarke, Root, Pope, Bairstow, Stokes, Foakes, Overton, Wood, Stone, Archer, Parkinson.