by Mick the Ram

Liam Livingstone will become the sixth man to captain England this calendar year when he leads out his country for the first of a three match series of One Day Internationals (ODI’s) against West Indies.

He takes the reins from Jos Buttler who has suffered another injury set back and has to be classed as doubtful for the five T20 games that follow immediately after. Buttler is due to return to resume his captaincy for the opening T20 game at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, on 9 November.

The ODI series begins on Thursday 31 October, at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua, where the Lancashire all-rounder will skipper the side for the first time and will continue for the remaining two games during the following week.

Livingstone’s appointment caps a remarkable change of fortune for the 31-year-old as he was initially left out of England’s ODI squad to play Australia last month, but got a reprieve after Buttler pulled out and he produced several impressive knocks to push himself forward.

Sixth skipper inside a year

Six captains inside a year is some going and demonstrates the unsettled period – especially in white-ball cricket – England have had. Ben Stokes continues to be bothered by injury, similar to Buttler, and Ollie Pope, Phil Salt and Brook have each had their moments in the spotlight.

Big chance to reignite international career

Livingstone thrust himself back into the reckoning with a blistering 62 not out off just 27 balls, equalling the record for the fastest fifty in the format at Lord’s, and seems to be back to his confident best.

Captaincy provides him another vital opportunity to rehabilitate his image after a long period of international under-performing,

The talented big-hitting all-rounder was part of England’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2022 and has captained Lancashire in the T20 Blast and Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred; so he is not without experience, but not to the level he now has to step up to.

Brook is a big miss

Harry Brook took over from Buttler in the ODI series against Australia during the summer, but he is not part of the squad for this tour due to his involvement in the Test tour of Pakistan and then New Zealand.

Potential for several debuts

The squad includes uncapped Essex wicketkeeper-batter Michael Pepper, who amassed over 500 runs at an impressive strike rate of just short of 200 in the Vitality Blast.

He is joined by 22-year-old Yorkshire leg-spinner Jafer Chohan, earning his first call-up and at the same time becomes the first graduate of the South Asian Cricket Academy to be selected to an England Men’s squad.

Warwickshire’s Dan Mousley, and John Turner of Hampshire are also newbies, although they have both been around the set up for a while.

The inexperienced squad is supplemented by the arrival of Rehan Ahmed and Jordan Cox who have flown over from their involvement in the tour of Pakistan.

Strong squad to tackle the English

The second ODI follows just two days later, also at North Sound, before the final game and possible decider takes place on 6 November in Barbados.

The West Indies squad for the series is: Shai Hope, captain, Alzarri Joseph, vice-captain, Jewel Andrew, Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Gudakesh Motie, Sherfane Rutherford, Jayden Seales, Romario Shepherd, and Hayden Walsh Jr.

Confidence from previous series

They will be hoping to repeat their success of 11 months ago, when first of all Shai Hope’s unbeaten 109 helped them clinch a four-wicket win, with 7 balls to spare at North Sound.

England hit back to comfortably chase down 203 in the second match, but the West Indies sealed the series in the deciding fixture with a DLS-adjusted chase, and achieved their target with 14 balls to spare, thanks largely to an excellent half-century by Keacy Carty.