A special match between bat and ball can shape this Ashes series. Pat Cummins is set to lead the home team from a pace bowler’s perspective on Australia’s Test cricket captaincy for the first time since the 1950s. Joe Root is inspired to lead England with the bat again in a series he feels could define his career.
“The two captains are going each other’s toes – one bowling captain for Australia and one batting captain for England,” England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler said on the eve of the first Test.
Root was already feeling some pressure, even before it was confirmed that England’s all-time leading Test wicket-taker Jimmy Anderson would miss the first Test starting on Wednesday at the Gabba.
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Butler said the team’s senior players are ready to support Root and the return of inspirational all-rounder Ben Stokes will help as well.
“We know he’s our best player, we want to support him, help him, share that load,” Butler said of Root. He comes here with the determination to keep it going.
“It’s a huge chain for that.”
Root is dominant in this series as the world’s leading Test batsman, having scored 1,455 runs in 12 Tests at an average of 66 in 2021.
But since winning the drought-breaking series in 2010-11, England have lost nine of the 10 Tests they have played in Australia, mostly by large margins. Root has been on the last two tours, and was captain for the 4–0 loss in 2017-18.
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And then there is England’s record at the Gabba, where they have not won a Test since 1986 and only two wins since 1946.
Butler said England were only looking back until January, when an injury-free India The team went on to win the series in 1988, ending Australia’s unbeaten record at the Gabba.
“I don’t think we have anything to lose … (but) everything to gain,” he said. “You know what to do here against Australia, you have to do your best.”
England released a 12-man squad later on Tuesday, prompting most speculation on the formation of the bowling attack. Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson were included as specialist fast bowlers, and left-arm spinner Jack Leach was also in the mix. The starting XI will be confirmed when the coin is tossed.
Cummins revealed his starting XI ahead of time, giving himself plenty of time to adjust to his new job. This now involves attending a pre-match news conference and going out for the toss, rather than marking his run-up to be ready to bowl.
The 28-year-old Cummins made his Test debut as a teenager in 2011 and was elevated to the captaincy when Tim Paine stepped down last month following media reports, which were investigated by cricket administrators four years ago in a clear-cut manner. To send text. Coworker.
He said he plans to rely heavily on his veteran deputy Steve Smith, who was replaced by Paine as Australia’s Test captain in 2018 following the infamous Sandpapergate scandal in South Africa.
He served a suspension from the leadership position and was the leading batsman when Australia retained the Ashes in England in 2019.
“Smithie and I have been really good partners for a long time. When I was 18, I used to sleep on his couch on several occasions,” Cummins said. “He’s a legend of the sport. Of course I’ll depend on him for ideas from time to time.
“There will be times when I need a rest — I’ll have no problem handing it over.”
Alex Carey was given wicket-keeper gloves in place of Penn and Travis Head was retained to bat at number five.
Australia has not played a Test since losing the series 2–1 to India in January, while England played in Sri Lanka and India and hosted New Zealand and India in the series.
But wet weather and quarantine requirements mean that no team is going into the series with red-ball cricket form.
The major part of the Australian team is Twenty20. was involved in World Cup victory in the United Arab Emirates last month, where coach Justin Langer gave the sports group more control over preparations.
This is something Cummins wants to take to the Test arena.
He said, ‘The atmosphere we created in the World Cup is a blueprint. “Comfortable atmosphere, empowering everyone to do it their own way. Let the preparation build up. Those are great lessons we learned from the World Cup which worked.”
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