"Chris Gayle is a superstar and everyone takes notice when he's batting. Not many people get a standing ovation walking off for 40."
Wednesday 20 December 2017 07:28, UK
Alex Hales can use the ODI series against Windies to force his way into England's Ashes plans, says Rob Key, who also touts Evin Lewis as a potential star of world cricket…
Alex Hales has gone up a notch as far as his attacking batting is concerned this season.
We used to see Jason Roy as the one getting off to a flyer and then Hales catching up but now he finds sixth gear very early. He has been hammering it from ball one in T20, so it will be interesting to see if he carries on in the 50-over format.
You have a bit more time to bed into ODIs - and that could help Hales' hopes of an Ashes spot. More of his technique, more of his temperament will be on display in these games and if he fires, he might well be on the plane to Australia. The same goes for Jos Buttler.
Windies have some impressive openers, too - everyone is looking forward to seeing Chris Gayle but I think his partner, Evin Lewis, is a potential star of world cricket.
He obviously has a fair reputation in T20, smashing 125 not out against India over the summer, but I Iiked his technical ability and demeanour when I saw him score 51 in Durham on Saturday night - he looked like a man with a game for all forms.
There aren't many people I've seen get a standing ovation walking off for 40 but that's what happened to Gayle in the T20.
I think all of us in the Pod were slightly gutted he got out - as ex-England players we wanted them to win but Chris gets the crowd going like no one else.
He hits the ball and you think: 'Where's that gone' before you see it sail into the stands. He can mis-hit it for six. He's a superstar and everyone takes notice when he's batting.
Windies have surprised almost everyone on this tour so far and seem like they have really progressed - it's the first time in while they has been genuine optimism around their cricket and as Sir Ian Botham has been saying, cricket needs a thriving West Indies team.
We've also got the Ben Stokes and Marlon Samuels battle to look forward to!
Since Carlos Brathwaite's sixes in that World T20 final, Stokes' stock has increased beyond belief. We haven't seen a lot of Samuels but he remains a big-match player.
Stokes carried himself very well after that game in Kolkata - Samuels had a few things to say off the pitch, which I'm never a massive fan of, but Stokes isn't one to moan or groan or be negative in that way. On the field, though, Stokes will be gunning for Samuels - that's just the way he plays.
Stokes, Liam Plunkett and Chris Woakes look set to take three of the seam spot for England and I think I'd give David Willey the fourth over Jake Ball and Tom Curran - his left-arm adds variety and he can swing the new ball.
Mark Wood's absence is a blow as he can provide express pace but Plunkett has a bit of speed and Woakes is the leader of the attack and was one of the best Test bowlers around before his injury.
Adil Rashid also gives you something different with his wrist spin and, like Hales, he will eyeing a spot on that Ashes trip - it's a 50-50 split among Sky commentators at the minute whether England should go for him or Mason Crane as back-up to Moeen Ali.
Every ball is an event in T20 cricket, whereas in 50-over cricket, Adil can show control, his consistency of line and length, and that he is more than capable in the longer form. It's a big few weeks for Rashid and Hales.
Watch England's five-match ODI series with Windies live on Sky Sports Cricket. The opener, at Old Trafford, starts at 12pm on Tuesday.
