True, although at least Hicks had the saving grace of being an excellenet ODI batsman. The other two can't even say that much.

First up - You should not never "ditch" a player: you should only (ever) accept that someone else is making a stronger case. The difference is significant: one way (Botham's way) leads to a revolving door policy as ever more youthful "talent" is tried and rejected... where the other way places a real value on a cap and obliges those NOT in the side to force themselves into contention.

Secondly... there is such a thing as the face just not fitting: happens all the time in soccer, with players failing to perform for one manager (or in one team / formation) and then shining following move.

Fine. Nasser Hussain made a stronger case. How can you tell this? By looking at their stats.

What you said just then does make sense, but it doesn't really change anything. You can only pick players who you know will perform. Personally, I never was a fan of Hussain- I thought he was slow an inelegant- but there's no point in being all style if you've got no substance to go with it.