The team England should pick for first Ashes Test
Joe Root and his side will be desperate to add their names to English cricketing folklore with an Ashes series win Down Under. Victory in the first Test would provide the perfect platform to go on and win the series - and Telegraph Sport's array of experts have picked the XI they want to take the field at the Gabba on Wednesday.
Who would you pick to start the Brisbane Test on Wednesday (12pm Tuesday night, UK time)? Let us know in the comments.
Michael Vaughan's team
Rory Burns
Haseeb Hameed
Dawid Malan
Joe Root (c)
Ben Stokes
Jonny Bairstow
Jos Buttler (wk)
Chris Woakes
Ollie Robinson
Stuart Broad
Jack Leach
If it’s a typical Brisbane wicket, hard and with good bounce, I’d select Woakes, Robinson and Broad. Robinson was excellent last summer and looks like he has the tools to do well in Australia. I’d leave Anderson out so he’s fresh for the day-night Test at Adelaide, when he should be a real threat. I think England are leaning towards not selecting a spinner but I think in a five-man attack you’ve got to have one. Leach has done well when he’s played.
Nick Hoult's team
Rory Burns
Haseeb Hameed
Dawid Malan
Joe Root (c)
Ollie Pope
Ben Stokes
Jos Buttler (wk)
Chris Woakes
Ollie Robinson
Stuart Broad
Mark Wood
It is time to give Pope a proper run, he played nicely against India in his only Test of the series, will suit Aussie pitches and Bairstow had many chances last summer without converting. An all-seam attack is risky given that the Gabba spins and it asks a lot for quicks to pound in for long spells in tropical heat. But Broad plays to knock over the two left handers at the top, Woakes is getting stronger all the time overseas and with Robinson lends depth to the batting. Anderson to be held back for Adelaide and after saying they need pace in Australia for the last four years, England have to pick Wood.
Scyld Berry's team
Rory Burns
Haseeb Hameed
Dawid Malan
Joe Root (c)
Ben Stokes
Jonny Bairstow
Jos Buttler (wk)
Chris Woakes
Ollie Robinson
Stuart Broad
James Anderson
England need variety, yes, on flat pitches in dry weather against in-form batsmen, but basics in Brisbane if rain is still around on Wednesday. That means four accurate right-arm fast-medium bowlers, plus Ben Stokes, so no long spells required from bowlers who have not played a red-ball game since September — plus Joe Root. Three of the batsmen have hit Test hundreds in Australia, and two more against Australia in England: experience has to make up for lack of match-practice.
Tim Wigmore's team
Rory Burns
Haseeb Hameed
Dawid Malan
Joe Root (c)
Ben Stokes
Ollie Pope
Jos Buttler (wk)
Ollie Robinson
Mark Wood
Jack Leach
James Anderson
England plan to select Bairstow as the final specialist batsman, on account of his experience in Australia. But Pope’s game seems ideally-suited to the pace and bounce of Australia, as he suggested by thriving in South Africa two years ago. Robinson should take the new ball with Anderson. The return of Stokes allows England to select the varied attack they lacked four years ago, avoiding selecting a surfeit of right-armers bowling at 80-85mph who are best used as opening bowlers. Instead they can bring in Wood for his extra pace and aggression with the old ball. Leach should look to India’s Ravindra Jadeja for a template of how left-arm finger spin can succeed down under.
Isabelle Westbury's team
Rory Burns
Haseeb Hameed
Dawid Malan
Joe Root (c)
Ben Stokes
Jonny Bairstow
Jos Buttler (wk)
Ollie Robinson
Stuart Broad
Jack Leach
James Anderson
Burns and Hameed have two century stands in three innings opening together, which surely makes them shoo-ins for the opening slots; England have only managed five 50-run opening partnerships in the past five Ashes series. Bullish Bairstow will probably start ahead of Ollie Pope, a conservative rather than ambitious move, and one based more on experience than recent form. The return of Stokes’ all-round offering surely then balances things for, finally, a frontline spinner in Jack Leach. While height, bounce and oodles of experience trump speed for England’s seam attack. Let’s hope it works.
