NICK HOWSON: The Surrey allrounder believes he and the remainder of the seam battery will give captain Jos Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott some selection headaches ahead of their title defence in India
Sam Curran is calling on England's white-ball fast-bowling battery to provide a major selection headache ahead of their 50-over men's World Cup defence in India.
The defending champions are braced to go into the tournament in October and November with their strongest group of quicks in years.
Curran is among a core group that includes Saqib Mahmood, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Chris Woakes, David Willey, Reece Topley and Olly Stone who are competing for selection.
Brydon Carse, Luke Wood, Matthew Potts, David Payne and Craig Overton meanwhile make up the group on the fringes, while a return from one-day international retirement of Ben Stokes may provide further competition.
A sub-continent World Cup means an extra place is all but assured for at least one extra spinner in addition to Adil Rashid, limiting space in the playing XI and a squad of 15.
Mark Wood and Jofra Archer - two members of England's 2019 success (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
"It is a quality squad at the moment," said Curran, who has 24 wickets in 22 ODIs. "There are a lot of guys who have been on the Test tour who will come back in.
"Any time you play in a team for England you want to put in a performance but it shows we've got a great squad with Jof, Woakes, Woody being back now as well.
"Everyone has had a tough year with injuries and everyone is pleased to see the quality of the bowlers we have around. You saw how great the Test team were bowling as well.
"It is an exciting time and hopefully we can give the captain and coach some good decisions to make but right now I'm sure the bowlers just want to keep performing and be in that 15 for the World Cup.
"Conditions will dictate if there is extra pace or extra spin so it is about enjoying it and not putting on too much pressure."
"In India, they have a variety of conditions you can come across at all the grounds. We've heard Chittagong will be a little bit different to here so we'll see what we get when we go there. It is amazing prep"
The Surrey allrounder was speaking after delivering a match-winning hand - though not worthy of the player-of-the-match award - during the second one-day international against Bangladesh in Mirpur.
He followed a punchy 33 not out, to help England to 326 for 7 batting first, with three wickets in his first seven deliveries with the new ball, as part of figures of 4 for 29 to help clinch a 132-run victory.
Centurion Jason Roy scooped the post-match honours but Curran's latest white-ball contribution - he was named T20 World Cup player of the tournament - did not go unnoticed.
Buttler described reducing The Tigers to 9 for 3 in the chase as a "fantastic start" as England laid the platform for victory and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
"It is a nice time to bowl as a seam bowler because you get swing and movement but it is tricky as well because you have to be on the money and start really well because the white ball doesn't swing for that long," Curran added.
Curran is emerging as one of England's main white-ball performers (SURJEET YADAV/AFP via Getty Images)
"In these conditions, your cutters, your slower balls and cross-seam deliveries may become useful as well. It is about adjusting and seeing what is in front of you.
"I don't think too much to be honest. It is about chatting to the guys in the dressing room, guys who are out and what the surface is doing.
"I like to react to what is in front of me. I'm not a massive planner. If my cutters are working I'll stick to them but today the ball swung so you play it as you see."
Following the concluding match of the series on Monday (March 6) England don't play another ODI until September 8 against New Zealand in Cardiff. Though there will be no lack of white-ball cricket to keep them ticking over, with the subsequent T20Is, the Indian Premier League, T20 Blast and The Hundred staged over the coming weeks and months.
Conditions in Chittagong for the third ODI are expected to be more favourable for batting than both sides found at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, particularly during the opening match.
It was centurion Jason Roy, rather than Curran, who scooped the player of the match prize (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Courtesy of his £1.85 million Punjab Kings contract, Curran's World Cup preparation will see continue at the IPL following the Bangladesh tour.
"I think it is great (in Bangladesh)," he said. "There are amazing crowds as well, so you get used to that. The conditions too and it is very, very warm as well.
"In India, they have a variety of conditions you can come across at all the grounds. We've heard Chittagong will be a little bit different to here so we'll see what we get when we go there. It is amazing prep.
"We don't have much 50-over cricket during the summer to play in these similar conditions as a group is cool. It is a great series win as well, to win in Bangladesh is awesome. They hadn't lost for a long time and we're really proud of that."
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