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Road to Net Zero

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Jason Roy. 2019. The latest hope. Shone at the Cricket World Cup and England hoping he can now transfer that form to Test cricket. Debuted against Ireland and rode his luck in a second innings 72. Reuters

Alastair Cook. 2012-2018. For so long the one consistent element to England's opening pair as so many partners came and went. Involved in four successful Ashes winning teams before he retired after 161 Tests last September against India. Getty

Nick Compton. 2012-13 and 2016. The first person England looked at after Strauss retired. Started encouragingly with two hundreds in New Zealand but then was quickly dropped after a run of low scores. Was recalled tp bat at No 3 in 2015 in South Africa but was ditched again after scoring only 51 runs in three Tests against Sri Lanka in 2016. AFP

Joe Root. 2013. Easy to forget that England's captain, who has just been persuaded to bat at No 3 again, had a brief stint as opener in the 2013 Ashes. He struggled against the new ball, a 180 at Lord's apart, and he moved back down the order following the series. Getty

Michael Carberry 2013-14. Carberry, struggled, as did the rest of the England team, in Australia in the 2013-14 Ashes. Averaged 28 and made one half-century in 10 innings and was dropped at the end of the series. Reuters

Sam Robson 2014. There was high hopes for the Middlesex man, but he failed to convince with a shaky technique outside his off-stump. A fine 127 against Sri Lanka at Headingley was the highlight of his brief run of seven Tests. Getty

Jonathan Trott. 2015. Trott enjoyed much success with England in the Test side but little of that came when he opened in the West Indies in 2015. He suffered three ducks in six innings and scored only 72 runs - 59 of which came in one innings. His struggles in the Caribbean spelled the end of his Test career. Getty

Adam Lyth. 2015. Not many players can claim to have been part of an Ashes winning side. Yorkshire player Lyth can after playing all five Tests in 2015. His technique was exposed by Australia, however, as he made only 125 runs in nine innings. He was dropped at the end of the series, though did have the consolation of 107 against New Zealand in his second Test appearance. AFP

Moeen Ali. 2015. Usually batting in the lower order, he was promoted to partner Cook in the UAE in 2015 against Pakistan. The experiment didn't work, however, as he averaged just 14, and he was back down at No 8 for the following series in South Africa. Getty

Jos Buttler. 2015. Opened just once for England. Was promoted up the order for a run chase in Abu Dhabi against Pakistan. Hit one boundary in five balls for being dismissed. Reuters

Alex Hales. 2015-16. There was big hopes for Hales who had shone in limited overs international cricket. Was given 11 Tests to make his mark, but struggled to bat with the conviction he showed in the 50-over format. Averaged just 27 and was ditched after making just six and 12 against Pakistan at The Oval in August 2016. Getty

Ben Duckett. 2016. Had two Tests as an opener against Bangladesh and failed to impress with 92 runs in four innings. Was dropped down the order for following series in India to No 4, but was cast aside after scoring only 18 runs in two Tests. Getty

Haseeb Hameed. 2016. Showed signs of promise in India, averaging 43 in a struggling side that lost 4-0. However, his county form imploded subsequently and has not been near the Test side since. Reuters

Keaton Jennings. 2016-19. A stop-start career for Jennings. Has batted at No 3 too during his 17 Tests but most have been as opener. Has scored two hundreds, both overseas in India and Sri Lanka, but consistently found wanting in English conditions. Yet to pass 50 in a home Test and averages 17. Was dropped at the start of this summer for Jason Roy. Reuters

Mark Stoneman. 2017-18. Frustrated English selectors by regularly getting good starts but not kicking on. Hit nine half-centuries in 11 Tests but never made it to three figures. Was jettisoned for Jennings's second chance at Test life after a poor match against Pakistan in May 2018. Getty

Rory Burns. 2018-19. Given his chance in Sri Lanka last autumn. The Surrey opener has found Test cricket tough and has clear flaws in his technique about playing the ball outside his off stump. Will start Ashes 2019 in England's side but needs considerable improvement to remain there. Getty

Jack Leach. 2018-19. Has twice opened in a nightwatchman role for England. The tailender did it in Sri Lanka in 2018 and then to much more memorable circumstances against Ireland at Lord's in July as he made a thrilling 92. Getty

Joe Denly. 2019. Made his Test debut as an opener in the West Indies in January. Has since batted at No 3 and will now move to No 4 for the coming Ashes series. Getty

Jason Roy. 2019. The latest hope. Shone at the Cricket World Cup and England hoping he can now transfer that form to Test cricket. Debuted against Ireland and rode his luck in a second innings 72. Reuters

Alastair Cook. 2012-2018. For so long the one consistent element to England's opening pair as so many partners came and went. Involved in four successful Ashes winning teams before he retired after 161 Tests last September against India. Getty

Nick Compton. 2012-13 and 2016. The first person England looked at after Strauss retired. Started encouragingly with two hundreds in New Zealand but then was quickly dropped after a run of low scores. Was recalled tp bat at No 3 in 2015 in South Africa but was ditched again after scoring only 51 runs in three Tests against Sri Lanka in 2016. AFP

Joe Root. 2013. Easy to forget that England's captain, who has just been persuaded to bat at No 3 again, had a brief stint as opener in the 2013 Ashes. He struggled against the new ball, a 180 at Lord's apart, and he moved back down the order following the series. Getty

Michael Carberry 2013-14. Carberry, struggled, as did the rest of the England team, in Australia in the 2013-14 Ashes. Averaged 28 and made one half-century in 10 innings and was dropped at the end of the series. Reuters

Sam Robson 2014. There was high hopes for the Middlesex man, but he failed to convince with a shaky technique outside his off-stump. A fine 127 against Sri Lanka at Headingley was the highlight of his brief run of seven Tests. Getty

Jonathan Trott. 2015. Trott enjoyed much success with England in the Test side but little of that came when he opened in the West Indies in 2015. He suffered three ducks in six innings and scored only 72 runs - 59 of which came in one innings. His struggles in the Caribbean spelled the end of his Test career. Getty

Adam Lyth. 2015. Not many players can claim to have been part of an Ashes winning side. Yorkshire player Lyth can after playing all five Tests in 2015. His technique was exposed by Australia, however, as he made only 125 runs in nine innings. He was dropped at the end of the series, though did have the consolation of 107 against New Zealand in his second Test appearance. AFP

Moeen Ali. 2015. Usually batting in the lower order, he was promoted to partner Cook in the UAE in 2015 against Pakistan. The experiment didn't work, however, as he averaged just 14, and he was back down at No 8 for the following series in South Africa. Getty

Jos Buttler. 2015. Opened just once for England. Was promoted up the order for a run chase in Abu Dhabi against Pakistan. Hit one boundary in five balls for being dismissed. Reuters

Alex Hales. 2015-16. There was big hopes for Hales who had shone in limited overs international cricket. Was given 11 Tests to make his mark, but struggled to bat with the conviction he showed in the 50-over format. Averaged just 27 and was ditched after making just six and 12 against Pakistan at The Oval in August 2016. Getty

Ben Duckett. 2016. Had two Tests as an opener against Bangladesh and failed to impress with 92 runs in four innings. Was dropped down the order for following series in India to No 4, but was cast aside after scoring only 18 runs in two Tests. Getty

Haseeb Hameed. 2016. Showed signs of promise in India, averaging 43 in a struggling side that lost 4-0. However, his county form imploded subsequently and has not been near the Test side since. Reuters

Keaton Jennings. 2016-19. A stop-start career for Jennings. Has batted at No 3 too during his 17 Tests but most have been as opener. Has scored two hundreds, both overseas in India and Sri Lanka, but consistently found wanting in English conditions. Yet to pass 50 in a home Test and averages 17. Was dropped at the start of this summer for Jason Roy. Reuters

Mark Stoneman. 2017-18. Frustrated English selectors by regularly getting good starts but not kicking on. Hit nine half-centuries in 11 Tests but never made it to three figures. Was jettisoned for Jennings's second chance at Test life after a poor match against Pakistan in May 2018. Getty

Rory Burns. 2018-19. Given his chance in Sri Lanka last autumn. The Surrey opener has found Test cricket tough and has clear flaws in his technique about playing the ball outside his off stump. Will start Ashes 2019 in England's side but needs considerable improvement to remain there. Getty

Jack Leach. 2018-19. Has twice opened in a nightwatchman role for England. The tailender did it in Sri Lanka in 2018 and then to much more memorable circumstances against Ireland at Lord's in July as he made a thrilling 92. Getty

Joe Denly. 2019. Made his Test debut as an opener in the West Indies in January. Has since batted at No 3 and will now move to No 4 for the coming Ashes series. Getty

Jason Roy. 2019. The latest hope. Shone at the Cricket World Cup and England hoping he can now transfer that form to Test cricket. Debuted against Ireland and rode his luck in a second innings 72. Reuters

Rated: 18 England openers since 2012 - can Jason Roy solve problem position for Ashes 2019?

A look at the various players who have tried to fill the vacancy since Andrew Strauss, and now Alastair Cook, have retired.

Graham Caygill

July 31, 2019

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