talisman

It wouldn’t be the first time a team rallied around an unconventional talisman.

"He's a modern-day club legend, for obvious reasons, and a figurehead and talisman of what we have done on the pitch," says Wrexham fan and co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast Tim Edwards.

Key has wisely decided that, with the first Test in Perth seven months away, adding the white-ball captaincy to his injury-ravaged talisman's workload was one risk he was not willing to take.

Marcus Smith, who started the campaign as England's attacking talisman but began this match on the bench, was key.

But losing talisman Cunha will be a massive blow, given he is their top league scorer on 13 goals and their attacking inspiration in this troubled campaign.