Bresnan and Root need to underline their cases

It will be Stuart Broad – set to lead England in the ODIs alongside his usual role as Twenty20 captain – and limited-overs coach Ashley Giles who must take the first steps into the brave new world since the controversial axing of Pietersen, England’s record run-scorer.

Neither can afford to be tentative.

Time is short before the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh, which immediately follows what is effectively an extended warm-up campaign against the holders of that trophy in the Caribbean.

For Giles, in particular, there will be little leeway as he seeks to restate his case after England’s back-to-back ODI and Twenty20 series defeats in Australia as the frontrunner to be named – most probably in mid-April – as successor to Andy Flower as team director.

What might have been a mundane segment of England’s relentless programme, less than three weeks after the end of their ill-fated Australia campaign, will thus be one with significant short and long-term repercussions – not least for Joe Root and Tim Bresnan, Yorkshire’s two representatives in the Caribbean, who could do with issuing a few reminders of their credentials.

The first shifting of the plates into England’s new era was, of course, Flower’s decision to resign after the 5-0 Ashes whitewash, when his microscopic attention to detail was perceived more of a weakness than strength.

Flower realised that it was now impossible to direct England 
effectively without overall hands-on authority in all formats, an 
authority he himself relinquished in order to spend more time with his family.

After the roles of Test and limited-overs coach were split in November 2012, it took the Ashes whitewash to finally convince him that his continued management of the Test side was no longer in his or the team’s best interests.

So it is that Giles and Broad – until now two able lieutenants to Flower and Test/ODI captain Alastair Cook – must earn their stripes in elevated positions.

Broad is leading in the absence of the rested Cook in the three ODIs in Antigua, where the teams reconvene on Sunday and Wednesday, but the true focus of the tour will inevitably be on the three fixtures that follow – the Twenty20s against West Indies in Barbados, which precede the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh next month.

In Bridgetown especially, where England play on March 9, 11 and 13, there will be welcome memories for Broad and several of his team-mates of their triumph at Kensington Oval four years ago, when they won England’s only global trophy to date, the World Twenty20.

The West Indies are the current holders of that title and they remain a strong force in Twenty20 cricket.

England’s most recent appointment, Giles’s new and, as yet, temporary assistant Paul Collingwood, will doubtless also be glad to be back in Barbados, where he was captain for his country’s only International Cricket Council tournament victory in almost 40 years of trying.

However, few seriously give England much chance in their current transitional state of winning another trophy in Bangladesh this Spring.

Much would seemingly point to another chastening experience as a side in transition after recent events seek to adapt their skills to an alien cricketing environment.

Before then, however, there are plenty of potential pitfalls in the Caribbean for Broad and Giles to negotiate.

First and foremost, they must contend with the fact that Chris Gayle, the West Indies’ master-blaster batsman, is back from injury and no doubt looking to put on a show for the adoring locals.

If England can stop him in his tracks they will be on their way to a modicum of success at least, although Broad’s boys – as several still are, in terms of international experience – will need to be wary of more power-hitting protagonists still to come down the order long after Gayle has gone.

England have a few handy weapons of their own, of course, headed by Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes, two young stars in the making with the potential to 
ignite the world game.

Broad and Giles must ensure that their potential is realised – and, in this instance, that short-term success is prioritised as much as long term.

There is plenty riding on England’s fortunes over the next six weeks for captain and, even more so, for coach, who is still most people’s favourite to replace Flower – if not necessarily most people’s preference to take on the prestigious role.

If Giles passes this entrance exam, he can start planning for bigger tests to come; if not, England could yet look elsewhere to find the architect of their future as they gear up for the summer’s Test matches against Sri Lanka and India.