Organising the England side around Andrew Flintoff’s fitness is tiresome to say the least and detrimental to the side’s progress.

No side should ever revolve so strongly around one player that all its plans hinge on his or her fitness. Is Flintoff good? Certainly. Is the England team nothing without him? No. It may be a better side with him, but it is certainly not a worthless entity without him.

As far as a long-term replacement for Flintoff goes, do we really need one? If recent form and ex-coach Duncan Fletcher are to be believed, Flintoff himself isn’t a replacement for the fearsome all-rounder of 2005, he’s now a bowler and a number seven or eight bat. If England need that extra batsman to get the job done then someone should be asking the top six some tough questions.

'If England need that extra batsman to get the job done then someone should be asking the top six some tough questions'


Since Flintoff’s latest injury, Ryan Sidebottom has proved the best bowling find since, well, Flintoff.

A stack of wickets and a shoot to the top of the bowling ratings with consistency that puts the likes of Steve Harmison and James Anderson to shame has established Sidebottom as England’s top bowler. Is there even room for Flintoff in a team that won’t even give Matthew Hoggard a game?

Flintoff would not be picked for England on his batting alone; he will play as a bowler only. If this is the case, has England already found their replacement in Sidebottom?

England should never give up on a player, but neither should they keep a spot open at risk of damages the team. If Flintoff is back to his best he will undoubtedly make the grade whether a gap is left or not. In the meantime England should cover for him as best they can, adjusting the team as necessary, not worrying about where he will fit in when he returns.           

As for finding a long-term replacement for the match-winning all-rounder we came to know in England’s Ashes victory, it is doomed to prove as fruitless as the search for the ‘English Gilchrist’. If there was a star all-rounder lurking in the depths of county cricket, he would have made his presence known long before now.

It will certainly be a boost to England if Flintoff returns, but they should not build their strategy around him.

England must put together the best team they can, regardless of who may or may not be coming into it at some point. England should be prepared to be without Flintoff if they want to capitalise on his return; the best XI should be on the field, not sat on the sidelines to ensure a convenient gap for Flintoff to slot back into.

A team is always more than just one man.