Former Australian great Shane Warne on Wednesday questioned England captain Joe Root’s decision to rest two of his premium fast bowlers, James Anderson and Stuart Broad, from the first Ashes Test. The first match of the series between England and Australia is being played at the Gabba – a venue where England’s last victory took place 35 years ago.
Many believed that the English team would go into the game at their best as this was the perfect opportunity for them to beat the hosts and break their GABA jinx. However, Root had other plans as he decided to rest Anderson and Broad to keep them fresh for the Adelaide Test, which will be a day/night affair and will be played with the pink ball.
Anderson and Broad are England’s leading wicket-takers in the longest format of the game. They have more than 1100 wickets between them and spin legend Shane Warne can’t understand the fact that the two won’t take to the crease at the Gabba.
Australia vs England, Ashes 2021-22, 1st Test Day 1 Highlights
Speaking to Foxcricket, Warne was also surprised by the England think tank’s decision to bat first, because of the Gabba’s icy conditions and the green pitch, which suits the England bowlers.
“It’s huge. It’s one of those things, you would have thought the England team’s think tank would be, ‘Let’s hit Australia first up’. The Gabba looks cloudy, the pitch looks green, Anderson and Broad Together, strike while the iron is hot. Warner had Broad wood so if I was going to rest him and keep him for as many Test matches as I could, play him in the first couple of matches,” Warner said.
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Warne also cited Broad’s impressive record against star Australian opener David Warner as the reason he should have played in the first Test in Anderson’s absence.
“I would have thought that Gabba would play, play in Adelaide and then if you had to mix and match and rest and move around, that would have been the case. Australia lost a Test at the Gabba last summer (against India) for the first time in over 30 years, I would have been hitting them right between the eyes with Anderson and Broad but unfortunately they (England) decided to rest them Is. The spin legend ended.
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