The County Championship season is almost a month old, and the battle for England's top order spots is intensifying. Despite under-fire opener Zak Crawley's struggles, Ben Duckett has improved his chances with a notable 93 for Nottinghamshire. However, Emilio Gay's impressive form for Division Two Durham and James Rew's remarkable performances for Somerset are putting pressure on the current England lineup.
With the search for a Test spinner ongoing, Shoaib Bashir's recent wickets for Derbyshire and Rehan Ahmed's move abroad have added to the selectors' headaches. As the summer of Test cricket approaches, the next month of county action will be crucial in determining England's lineup.
Former England captain Michael Atherton believes that Rew's performances make him a must-pick, but it remains to be seen how his inclusion would affect the team. The Test winter was disappointing for England's supposed frontline spinner Bashir, but he is regaining form at county level. However, the obvious other option, Rehan Ahmed, has decided to play in the IPL, which may hinder his chances of selection.
Veteran Jack Leach has made a slow start to the campaign, and fellow former international Liam Dawson has also struggled. The lack of outstanding options compounds the headaches for the England selectors, making the next three rounds of the County Championship crucial.