‘It is grueling from a fast bowler’s point of view’ – Steve Harmison highlights need of more members in England squad

The former English pacer Steve Harmison recently got candid with a British website and talked about the need for more than 15 squad members in major tournaments. Steve presented a proposal in front of the Apex Cricket Council through the website of adding more men to the squad instead of just 15 to make it easier, especially for the fast bowlers considering they take a lot of load in long tournaments. 

Steve Harmison highlighted that in major tournaments, the team has to continuously travel to multiple cities which adds exertion much more than the games, hence more than 15 men should be taken to the tournament by the teams. 

“You can only get 15 men in a squad and that, for me, I can’t understand. England have got nine games in eight different venues with internal flights, hotels and everything that goes with it. England are going to need more than 15,” said Steve Harmison. 

Steve Harmison on the need for more than 15 men in the squad 

“You look at England’s fast bowlers and two that spring out when you see the 15 names are Mark Wood and Reece Topley, two bowlers who have struggled from an injury point of view in the past. Eight different venues before the knockout stages, that’s eight different plane journeys and the internal flights are not exactly business classes in India!,” he added. 

“It is gruelling from a fast bowler’s point of view and that’s why I don’t think a 15-man squad is enough. I think it should have been 18, possibly 20. I know that plays into the hands of the big boys, but from a fast bowler’s point of view I think England are going to use more,” said Harmison.

“England play New Zealand in Ahmedabad in the first game where it’ll be red-hot, mid to late 30s and then they go to Dharamsala which is going to be 20 degrees cooler in the mountains five days later. It’s a tough start for England from a venue point of view, but from an opposition point of view once you get the first game (against New Zealand) out of the way, I think Bangladesh and Afghanistan are two nice games for England,” he concluded.