Former Australian skipper Ricky Ponting believes that the England team will play the same combination coming into the crucial fourth test in Manchester. With just two Test matches remaining in the series, the hosts need to win both games to make a dramatic comeback to win the series on their home soil.
England side is likely to play the same playing 11 in the high-octane fourth test in Manchester, as they give their players a longer rope to perform for the team in crucial junctures. Mark Wood and Chris Woakes played pivotal roles in their team’s comeback victory on the Headingley.
Speaking on the ICC Review, Ricky Ponting feels that England is likely to play the same team, except for the potential inclusion of the veteran pacer James Anderson as the game will be played on his home soil as he could have good rest coming into the fourth test and said that he might be included in the team in place of underperforming Ollie Robinson.
“I think I would keep it (the England XI) exactly the same, I know it’s James Anderson’s home ground. I mean that’s the one they might think about – Anderson for Robinson maybe as Anderson’s had that week off, freshens up and goes to his home ground.”.
“I wouldn’t be changing too much if I was England but that would be the only one I’d think about, would be Anderson in for Robinson.”
James Anderson was dropped in the 3rd test of the high octane as the 40-year-old has so far claimed three wickets at 75.33 in an off-colour start to his Ashes campaign in two games. Ollie Robinson has picked up ten wickets in the series so far in three games, as he could not trouble the high-quality batters at the top of the order in the series.
They Won’t Want To Make Changes To Their Team… – Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting said that he was surprised by the exclusion of the wicket-keeper batter Ben Foakes from the side and said that the team will back Jonny Bairstow to come good in the forthcoming and feels they will have a settled unit coming into the fourth game against Australia in Manchester
“I am a little bit surprised actually, I mean I am and I’m not because I know how much (coach) Brendon (McCullum) will be in Jonny Bairstow’s corner and I know Ben Stokes will also be in his corner”.
“They won’t want to make changes to their team that they don’t have to make. They’ve already made those changes for Headingley and if they made another change for Manchester, it could just be a little bit unsettling on the back of winning a Test match,” Ricky Ponting added.
Ben Foakes was unfortunate to miss on the Ashes squad, as the England side went in with experienced Jonny Bairstow in the team, as he could not do the job for his side with the glove missing a few stumpings and catches behind the stumps in this series.