Will Jacks, an all-around player, has finally made a comeback to the England national team. Under Harry Brook, England has used the aggressive player in a different capacity in the present lineup. In ODIs, England has requested a natural middle-order batsman to finish the games. Will Jacks has performed admirably as a batsman thus far, finishing against the West Indies with two distinct kinds of knocks.
When asked how batting in ODIs and T20Is differs from one another, Jacks stated that ODIs give you plenty of opportunity to accelerate, whereas T20Is do not. He considered it a privilege to bat in ODIs, something that isn’t given to a person in T20Is, where hitting the ball right away is required.
“I believe we all understand there is a lot of time when we watch 50-over cricket and reflect on it over the past year or two. “That’s not something you always have the luxury of coming from T20,” Will Jacks remarked. The standout batsman has scored 39(24) and 49(58) in the first and second ODIs against WI, respectively.
Will Jacks had a lot of time remaining in the second ODI, so he had to play out some overs even if he had to slog almost everything in the first one. Jacks talked about this, saying that he had faith in his ability to chase down the total after being set and that there was still a lot of time left in the game. The right-hander was a firm believer in going as deep as he could in the game.
“There was still a lot of time left, even though I entered during the 41st over of the first ODI the other day. I was thinking about that [during the second ODI], and we talked about it. There was no sense of hurry, even as it got up to seven-and-a-half or eight o’clock. We are confident that we can easily pursue that. It was simply about remaining composed, maintaining control, and delving as deeply as you could,” Will Jacks continued.
I feel at ease with myself now: Will Jacks
Before missing out on England’s selection for the 2025 Champions Trophy, the right-handed batter last played for his country in November 2024. He believed that taking a break from cricket helped him refocus as a player.
“I’ve approached it with a really new perspective, which has been beneficial. I would have wanted to play every game over that interval, but that’s just life. And I believe it has enabled me to start over,” Will Jacks continued.
Jacks recalled his early days as an English cricket player and said that because he was only focused on having fun, he was not playing as well as he would have liked. According to the star batter, he has become a better version of himself since he now has a better understanding of his role.
“I believe that during my first stint with the team, I was simply enjoying playing for England, even if I was definitely not giving my best effort. I was ‘over-trying’ to get my desired outcomes, but now that I’m at ease in the role, I believe it has greatly aided me.”