England cricket: Are Harry Brook’s side set to challenge for the 2027 World Cup?

If there is a question to be answered about England’s side, it is who will fill the seamer slots in the XI.

With the World Cup to be played on the hard decks of South Africa and Zimbabwe, England will likely persist with three outright fast bowlers with the support of Curran.

Spearhead Jofra Archer is an automatic selection, assuming he remains fit, while Gus Atkinson did his cause no harm in his two outings against India, taking 3-50 in Cardiff and keeping to an economy rate of four at Lord’s when no other bowler was under six.

The third slot remains up for grabs, with neither Josh Tongue nor Saqib Mahmood consolidating their place in the side.

Tongue took one wicket in two matches and was expensive at Lord’s, conceding 43 runs from five overs, while Mahmood took 2-52 in Cardiff but was rotated out for Tongue for the series finale.

Brydon Carse returned to the squad for this series having recovered from wrist and elbow injuries that have kept him out of international cricket, while the selectors have also favoured the all-round skills of Jamie Overton and may return to him once he has recovered from the thigh injury he sustained in the Indian Premier League.

With a five-match Ashes series preceding the World Cup, England may expect at least one seamer to go down with injury, and will want a strong group of pacers ready to step up to the tournament squad.

There is also slight concern about spinner Adil Rashid, who has had a quiet 2026, taking eight wickets in ODIs and only one in this series.

The 38-year-old’s economy rate for the year is consistent with recent efforts, remaining under six, while he can still claim to be England’s biggest threat in overs 11-40 – taking 32 of their 72 wickets in that period since the start of last year.