As England makes 3 changes to their starting XI for the third Ashes Test, Moeen Ali is back: The England cricket team has announced the playing XI for the third Ashes Test starting at Headingley in Leeds on Thursday (July 6). The hosts have made three changes after their 43-run defeat in the second match at Lord’s.
With Ollie Pope ruled out of the Test due to a shoulder dislocation, Harry Brook will bat at No.3 at Headingley. The right-handed batsman will also miss the last two Ashes Tests to be held at Old Trafford and The Oval. Brook, who scored a half-century in the first innings at Lord’s, did not bat for the first time since his international debut.
Mark Wood, Moeen Ali, and Chris Woakes are back for the third Test, but James Anderson and Josh Tongue have been rested. Moeen participated in the first Test at Edgbaston and claimed three wickets; however, he was unable to participate at Lord’s due to a finger injury.
Woakes and Wood, meanwhile, were not present for the first two games. Despite playing a significant part in England’s 3-0 victory over Pakistan last winter, Wood hasn’t taken part in a Test match since the final game of that trip. In 28 Tests, the right-arm speedster has 90 kills at 30.88 with three fifers.
Since England’s tour of the Caribbean in March 2020, Woakes has not played in a Test match. In 45 Test matches, the right-arm fast bowler has 130 wickets at an average of 30.73. Woakes has an outstanding record at home, capturing 94 wickets in 25 games at an average of 22.36, in addition to being a valuable lower-order batsman.
XI for England’s third Ashes Test
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Ben Stokes (c), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, Jonny Bairstow(wk).
The home team will face a win in the clash with the lead as a draw or a win for Australia would mean they retain the Ashes. Both Ben Stokes and Pat Cummins are expecting a lively crowd at Headingley, especially after the controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow by Australia.
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