After England Women lost to India, former captain Heather Knight suggested Charlie Dean should be in the starting eleven for the next game. She thinks Dean is one of the team’s best bowlers.
England lost the second T20I of the five-match series to India by 24 runs in Bristol on Tuesday. They could lose their first home bilateral T20I series since 2023 if they don’t improve quickly.
Knight, who is injured, thinks changes need to be made to the eleven to make sure the team is balanced against India’s strong batting line up. She wants bowling all-rounder Charlie Dean to play in the third match of the series at The Oval in London on Friday.
Knight told Sky Sports Dean is one of England’s best five bowlers and needs to be in the game. She said Dean matches up well against Smriti Mandhana, has a good strike rate in the Powerplay, takes wickets and is good in the field. Knight thinks Dean should have played from the start of the series because she’s a great player.
Knight thinks England need to consider who will be replaced by Dean, with Linsey Smith being the obvious choice.
Smith, a left-arm bowler, hasn’t taken a wicket in the first two matches of the series. Knight thinks Dean is a bigger threat to India’s batters.
Knight said England could play two seamers and rest one of them or replace Linsey Smith who hasn’t performed well in the last couple of games after a good series against the West Indies. Smith looked exposed, didn’t vary her pace enough for the conditions and wasn’t as accurate as she was in the West Indies.
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Knight wants England to keep playing positively against India and thinks they can still save the series.
Knight added it’s important for the team to stay confident and not feel sorry for themselves. The team management will try to rebuild their confidence by telling them they are still in the series, can improve and can do better.
