Joe Root Backed Jack Leach And Rory Burns To Bounce Back From Dismal 1st Ashes Test Loss

Dec 14, 2021 at 2:41 PM

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Joe Root Backed Jack Leach And Rory Burns To Bounce Back From Dismal 1st Ashes Test Loss

Joe Root on Tuesday backed Jack Leach and Rory Burns to bounce back from dismal Ashes 1st Test performances, while star all-rounder Ben Stokes declared himself fit to play the next Ashes Test- a Day-Night one in Adelaide. Joe Root refused to rule out selecting spinner Jack Leach in Thursday’s pink-ball Test in Adelaide, even though he conceded 102-1 from 13 overs as England stumbled to a nine-wicket loss in Brisbane.

England controversially rested veteran quicks Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad for the first Test but Joe Root said the pair were “fit and ready to go” in Adelaide. Jack Leach’s meager returns in Brisbane would normally see him dropped to make room in the attack, but England will still want a specialized slow bowler for Adelaide’s traditionally spin-friendly wicket.

Jack Leach Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
Jack Leach Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian

Joe Root Said England Have To Make Big Decisions In Selecting Team For 2nd Ashes Test But Defended Jack Leach

Few gave England any chance of winning the Gabba Test. In the leadup to the series, England lost to New Zealand 1-0 and conceded a 2-1 series lead to India at home, which led bare their overreliance on Joe Root and inability to weave aggressive bowling spells without the injured Jofra Archer, who was ruled out from playing in 2021.

“We’ve obviously got some big decisions to make,” Root told reporters in Adelaide.

Joe Root
Joe Root Photograph: Sri Lanka Cricket

He said conditions did not suit Jack Leach at the Gabba but Australia could pay the price if they continued to target him elsewhere.

“I’m sure he’ll want to respond and he’ll want to get back into the series and have an impact,” the England skipper said. “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 left-arm spinner Jack Leach could only bowl 13 overs because he conceded 102 runs in them at a staggering economy rate of 7.8. In contrast, his counterpart Nathan Lyon bowled 43 overs at 2.6 apiece while also picking up four wickets.

Joe Root Defended Rory Burns Too While Ben Stokes Said He’s Fit

Joe Root also offered support to opening batsman Rory Burns, who fell to the first ball of the series in Brisbane and then dropped a crucial chance from David Warner.

“Rory is a very strong character, you can’t doubt that side of his game,” said Root, himself strongly criticised back in England after winning the toss in Brisbane and opting to bat first.

Ben Stokes, Joe Root ECB Twitter
Ben Stokes, Joe Root ECB Twitter

“He’ll come back in and want a response and want to put some big scores on the board.”

Ben Stokes, who failed to fire in Brisbane — his first competitive match in six months after a break to deal with a finger injury and mental health issues — dismissed concerns a knee injury could keep him out of the second Test.

“People will have seen me rubbing my knee from time to time when I was in the field, but rest assured I’m fine,” Stokes wrote in a column. “It is an old injury that flares up every now and again, but I know how to manage it.”

England had included Jack Leach in the Brisbane Test and left out veteran pacer Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson from the playing XI for the opening Test. The decision backfired for the Joe Root-led side. Meanwhile, Ben Stokes recently underwent a second surgery on his broken finger. He broke his hand while taking a catch for Rajasthan Royals in the first match in India in the Indian Premier League 2021, and a repeat X-ray and CT scan revealed that he has a fracture of his left index finger.

Contrary to expectations, Ben Stokes struggled across departments as Australia cantered to a nine-wicket win at the Gabba. The 30-year old managed 19 runs in the game and leaked 65 runs in 12 overs without picking wickets. The star all-rounder missed the New Zealand and India Test series in England, the second half of IPL 2021 at UAE, 2021 T20I World Cup to prioritize his mental wellbeing over cricket.

The second Test, a day and night affair, begins on December 16 at the Adelaide Oval.

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