Australia recalled Josh Hazlewood and dropped fellow pacer Mitchell Starc from their XI as England captain Ben Stokes opted to bat in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston on Friday.
Starc played in Australia’s 209-run World Test Championship final win over India at The Oval last week, a match missed by Hazelwoodside and an Achilles injury.
But while the left-arm express quick Starc offers a real point of difference in an otherwise right-arm pace attack, the experienced Hazlewood – with 222 wickets in 59 Tests – faces a packed schedule of six Tests in seven. Reinstated to the team. week
Australian captain Pete Cummins said at the toss that we need to rotate our bowlers. “It was a really tough call on Mitch, but it’s a good problem to have with someone like Josh.”
Australia’s team is among the top three in the world Test batting rankings – Marence Libeschen, Steve Smith and Travis Head.
A straw-colored pitch against a sunny sky inspired Stokes to bat for the first time since winning the toss in a Test match in England.
“It’s looking a really good wicket,” said Stokes, who has presided over 11 victories in 13 Tests since joining forces with coach Brendon McCullum last year. “It’s good to win the toss but we have to get some runs on the board now and make the most of it.”
England had already named their squad on Wednesday, with Stuart Broad getting the nod for paceman Mark Wood after leading the attack in a 10-wicket win over Ireland at Lord’s – a match where James Anderson and Ollie Robinson was rested due to injuries.
Stokes had earlier spoken about his desire to have bowlers with full pace.
But Broad, with 582 Test wickets, was selected even though his inclusion left England with three similar right-arm seamers, all at 80 mph.
Broad’s inclusion means the 36-year-old will once again compete against Australia opener David Warner.
The combative Australian failed miserably against Broad in 2019, when the Englishman dismissed him seven times in 10 innings.
England have not won an Ashes series since 2015, while it has been 22 years since Australia last triumphed in an Ashes campaign in England.
In the same Ashes clash at Edgbaston four years ago, Smith marked his return to Test cricket after a ball-tampering ban with two centuries in Australia’s dominant 251-run win.
But the 2019 series ended all square at 2-2.
Teams
England: Ben Duckett, Zach Crowley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jonny Bairstow (wicket), Moeen Ali, Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson, James Anderson.
Australia: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marence Lebouchen, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Greene, Alex Carey (wicket), Pat Cummins (captain), Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Josh Hazlewood
Umpires: Maurice Erasmus (RSA), Ahsan Raza (PAK)
TV Umpire: Chris Giffani (NZL)
Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
