Ashes on the line: England under pressure heading into Adelaide Test | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: England are staring at a daunting task and “need a miracle” heading into Wednesday’s third Ashes Test in Adelaide, with Australia boosted by the return of Pat Cummins as they eye sealing the series. Back-to-back eight-wicket defeats in Perth and Brisbane mean England have now gone 17 Tests without a win in Australia since their last series triumph there in 2010-11.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Adding to the grim outlook, a victory for the hosts would wrap up the five-match series inside three Tests for the fourth straight Ashes contest played in Australia.
Former England opener Geoffrey Boycott, who toured Australia four times and was part of two Ashes-winning sides, has been scathing in his assessment, pointing to “irresponsible batting, bowling too short, too wide or too full and catches dropped”.“Somehow, after just six days of Ashes cricket, England need a miracle,” he wrote in his column.Despite the pressure, coach Brendon McCullum remains defiant. “We’re a massive chance in this Test match. We do that, and the narrative changes in the series,” he said on Sunday.Captain Ben Stokes, meanwhile, was critical of his team’s inability to handle key moments after the Brisbane defeat and urged his players to show greater resilience.Former skipper Alastair Cook believes Stokes will not hold back ahead of the must-win day-night clash at the 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.”History is firmly against England, with only one team ever overturning a 2-0 deficit to win the Ashes — Don Bradman’s Australia in 1936-37.Selection changes could be on the cards, with Mark Wood injured and Josh Tongue a possible replacement for Gus Atkinson. McCullum confirmed the top seven would remain unchanged, with Ollie Pope retaining his place at number three. Spin is expected to play a role, with Shoaib Bashir and Will Jacks vying for a spot.Australia, meanwhile, will welcome back Cummins to lead an attack already spearheaded by Mitchell Starc, who has taken 18 wickets. Nathan Lyon is also likely to return, while questions remain over Usman Khawaja’s role at the top of the order.Despite Australia’s dominance, Glenn McGrath urged caution. “They have England by the throat and must not let up just because some big names are returning. They cannot get complacent,” he wrote.Former captain Tim Paine added that Adelaide’s conditions could suit England’s aggressive style. “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 said.
