PLAYER DIARIES
Follow UsSam Curran was the surprise package in the 2022 T20 World Cup. Breaking into international cricket as an outright swing bowler, the left-arm seamer raised many eyebrows by cracking the code of bowling during the death overs.
That World Cup, Curran picked only two of his 13 wickets in the powerplay. Instead, he struck nine times in the death overs while bowling at an economy of only 6.6. He had both the second-best economy as well as the second-best bowling average in that phase during the tournament.
The southpaw added variations to his kitty with slow back-of-a-length deliveries, slow bouncers, back-of-the-hand cutters, off cutters and nailed yorkers, as well as the wide yorkers.
“You don't just want to be a cricketer who is set for one role, which I think is one of my strengths: to be as adaptable [as possible] for the captain and guys in the team," Curran had said a few months before the T20 World Cup in Australia.
Adapting to a new role, Curran was unhittable in the death overs and was adjudged the Player of the Tournament in England’s title victory. It was a fresh change from the previous two editions of the tournament, where England had crashed because of slip-ups at the death. In the semi-final in 2021, a 23-run 17th over from Chris Jordan opened the gates for New Zealand. In the final in 2016, Carlos Brathwaite’s four sixes in the last over against Ben Stokes was the final nail in the coffin.
However, Curran couldn’t continue the same next year. In 11 T20Is since 2023, he has managed only eight wickets at 9.2 runs per over. In a more worrying stat, his economy at the death has been 12.3. He has bowled the most overs for England at the death in this duration and is one of their six pacers to have an economy above 12.
Curran hasn’t used enough of his variations or yorkers in this phase post the World Cup. In fact, out of 7.1 overs at the death in T20Is since 2023, Curran’s go-to delivery has been moving the ball in and away alongside miscued yorkers turning into full tosses.
During the five-match T20I series in the Caribbean, Curran was smashed around the park. He went at an economy of 18 in his 3.1 overs at the death. England lost the series and it was back to square one for their death bowling resources.
In 2024, Curran has only played in franchise competitions, with his numbers going through ebbs and flows in SA20 2024, ILT20 2024 and IPL 2024. In ILT20, Curran played only two games but aced both bowling average and economy metrics. SA20 and IPL 2024 saw towering batting numbers, with Curran achieving moderate numbers.
Overall, Curran's economy was poor in SA20 but made up for it during the death overs. In IPL, his overall economy was on par with the benchmark set. However, he had the worst economy for a Punjab seamer during the death overs. Owing to the flat pitches in most IPL fixtures, Curran’s off-cutters were taken apart at 13.8 RPO.
In this roller coaster ride, Curran isn’t a powerplay wicket-taker anymore. From 2023 onwards, he has bowled 43% of his T20 overs in the powerplay while averaging 41.5. Adapting to the changing demands of T20 cricket, the 25-year-old has shifted to the method of making it tough to score for the batters rather than attacking them.
England have a number of all-rounders in their World Cup squad. Most of them are batters who can bowl spin, namely Liam Livingstone, Will Jacks and Moeen Ali. Among the main seamers who can bat, Sam Curran is probably their best batter which makes him vital for the balance in England’s XI.
If they want to play three spinners with Livingstone and Moeen at six and seven and Adil Rashid down the order, then Curran is England’s best bet at number eight. However, if the conditions at the venue are not as spin-friendly as expected, given the International Cricket Council (ICC) will be at the helm of preparing the pitches, then England would need four seamers in their XI. In this case, Curran becomes indispensable to the team at number seven with Jordan to follow at eight.
Also, Curran is among the only two left-handed batters in England’s strongest XI (alongside Moeen Ali). A good enough lower-order batter, he can also be promoted in the batting order to attain favourable match-ups. In IPL 2024, he batted 10 out of his 12 innings in the top five with mixed results.
Overall, despite an up-and-down phase since winning the Player of the Tournament award in the last World Cup, Curran would still be England’s trump card in their title defence. A crucial player tactically, the Three Lions need him to be fit and in form to make their life easier.
