London, July 23 (IANS) Former skipper Nasser Hussain has picked his England XI for the first Ashes Test against Australia to be played at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground from August 1 and there is no place for Jofra Archer.
Hussain has not picked Archer — who was England’s leading wicket-taker in the recently concluded World Cup – in his playing XI. Archer, who defended 15 runs in the Super Over to help England win their maiden men’s World Cup title, is expected to be handed his maiden Test call by England for the much-anticipated Ashes series.
According to the Daily Mail, Hussain feels there should be specialist openers in Test cricket and that’s why Jason Roy could be drafted in the middle-order despite doing so well at the top in limited-over formats. “I would go with a different top three,” Hussain said. “I would bat Joe Root at three and look to have Roy coming in at four or five.”
“There is a difference between red-ball and white-ball cricket and Alastair Cook has said the red Dukes ball has done more in England over the last couple of years than at any time in his career.
“I have no problem with Roy opening because everyone wants to bat in the middle order and Root doesn’t want to move from four. There is no doubting Roy’s ability and he could well come off,” he added.
Nasser Hussain’s England XI for first Ashes Test: Rory Burns, Joe Denly, Joe Root (C), Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson
–IANS
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