England Playing XI: Joe Root’s England have gone for a pace attack for the Day-Night pink-ball Test and included veteran pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Spinner Jack Leach, who leaked 102 runs in just 13 overs in the Brisbane Test has been axed. Mark Wood, who picked up three wickets after spending 85 runs in 25.3 overs in the first innings of the first Test, has been also left out. Follow Ashes 2021-22 Live on InsideSport.IN.
England Playing XI: England goes for all pace attack, James Anderson, Stuart Broad IN, Jack Leach out for pink-ball Test
England Men’s Squad for second Ashes Test: Joe Root (c), Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Haseeb Hameed, Dawid Malan, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes.
Our 12-strong squad for the second Ashes Test starting tomorrow 👇#Ashes | 🇦🇺 #AUSvENG 🏴
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 15, 2021
Notably, in lead up to the all-important second Test, there has been a lot of talks about the inclusion of James Anderson and Stuart Broad – who share 315 Tests and 1156 between them – in the playing XI.
This is the first time since 2001 at Headingley that England have not picked a spinner in an #Ashes Test.
The last time in Australia was at the MCG in 1998. pic.twitter.com/I3vatLz1nj
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 16, 2021
Stuart Broad has been desperate to play his 150th Test for England, and had openly expressed his disappointment on being left out of the first Test which he though he could have “influenced”.
England still will have a tough choice to make on Thursday. If at all they want to play Anderson and Broad together, one between Ollie Robinson and Chris Woakes will have to be left out.
Jack Leach is certain of getting picked as the specialist spinner. Adelaide Oval Curator has already suggested that the pitch is expected to have help for the spinner as always.
“Yeah, I think so.
“History says that the pitch will spin.
“Nathan’s (Lyon) always played a role out there.
“From our end, we believe that spin at Adelaide needs to play a part.
“We feel that it has previously, and it still should,” Damian Hough has said.
Joe Root had also backed Leach despite him getting hammered pole to post in the first Test.
“I’m sure he’ll want to respond and he’ll want to get back into the series and have an impact.
“Some of the grounds that we will be going to from this point onwards should offer a lot more for him and bring spin into it as well,” the England skipper had told reporters.
After winning the first Test by 9 wickets, Australia are leading the 5-Test series 1-0.
England Playing XI: England goes for all pace attack, James Anderson, Stuart Broad IN, Jack Leach out for pink-ball Test
Editors pick
