With merciless Australia bolstered by Pat Cummins’ return, England is in dire straits and “need a miracle” going into Wednesday’s third Ashes Test in Adelaide in an attempt to finish the series.
After losing by eight wickets in Perth and Brisbane, England has now lost 17 Test matches in Australia since winning their last series there in 2010–11.
For the fourth straight series in Australia, a victory by the hosts would guarantee that the five-match contest will be finished in three Tests.
The team’s “irresponsible batting, bowling too short, too wide or too full and catches dropped” has been criticized by England great Geoffrey Boycott, who made four trips to Australia, winning two Ashes series and drawing the other two.
“Somehow, after just six days of Ashes cricket, England need a miracle,” he said in a column.
“We’re a massive chance in this Test match. We do that, and the narrative changes in the series,” an unrepentant coach Brendon McCullum declared on Sunday.
Ben Stokes, a frustrated captain, demanded that his team toughen up after Brisbane crumbled under pressure. Alastair Cook, a former captain of England, thinks Stokes will read the riot act before the crucial daytime match at historic Adelaide Oval.
“Ben Stokes is the most competitive person I’ve ever come across,” Cook told TNT Sports. “He won’t want to lose a game of tiddlywinks or table tennis, and he’s seeing his side failing under pressure. I think for the first time in his captaining career, some home truths are going to be said to players.”
The mountain that England has to climb is enormous. In 1936–37, Australia, led by Don Bradman, overcame a 0-2 deficit to win the Ashes, the first time in history that a side has done so.
With the series at stake, England selectors might try to bolster the team. Fast bowler Josh Tongue may take Gus Atkinson’s place due to Mark Wood’s injury.
According to McCullum, Ollie Pope, who is currently under criticism, will stay at number three in the top seven. It is a toss-up between Shoaib Bashir and Will Jacks, who played in Brisbane and looked excellent with the bat, and spin is probably going to be important.
Australia captain Cummins, who was sidelined for the first two Tests due to a back ailment, will lead the assault alongside the excellent Mitchell Starc, who has already claimed 18 wickets.
After being passed over for Brisbane, veteran spin king Nathan Lyon is also anticipated to play, with Brendan Doggett and either Scott Boland or Michael Neser probably making way. The other major question is whether Australia will stick with the aggressive Travis Head and Jake Weatherald, or if a fit Usman Khawaja will recover his spot as opener.
George Bailey, the chief selector, said he was amenable to Khawaja batting lower down the order. Additionally, he might be dropped, which would mean the end of his 85-Test career. Bowling legend Glenn McGrath cautioned Australia not to let their guard down, even if they had all the momentum.
“They have England by the throat and must not let up just because some big names are returning. They cannot get complacent,” he said in a column. “An Australia team should always think it can win every Test it plays, so for that reason this team should be thinking about winning 5-0.”
Tim Paine, a former captain of Australia, cautioned that Adelaide’s flat pitch and shorter boundaries would probably make it a better fit for England’s aggressive strategy than other venues.
“If there’s any wicket and ground in the country that suits them more than this, I don’t think there is one -– so this will be a fascinating Test match,” he told reporters.
