England have announced three significant changes to their lineup for the upcoming third Ashes Test match against Australia at Headingley. In a bid to turn the tide and overcome their 2-0 deficit, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, and Moeen Ali will make their return to the starting XI, replacing James Anderson, Josh Tongue, and the injured Ollie Pope.
The highly anticipated change in the lineup is the omission of Anderson, who has had a lackluster start to his tenth Ashes campaign, claiming only three wickets at an average of 75.33. Anderson’s preferred swing-bowling methods did not align with England’s short-ball approach at Lord’s. His exclusion has opened the door for the return of Woakes, who boasts an impressive record of 94 wickets at an average of 22.63 in England.
Further, the absence of Pope, who has been ruled out from the remaining matches after suffering a dislocated right shoulder, also led to England’s decision to bolster their batting lineup with Woakes, known for his prowess with the bat. Woakes has a batting average of 35.25 at home, including one century and five fifties. Additionally, Moeen, who missed the Lord’s Test due to a finger injury, will also strengthen England’s lower-middle order.
When it comes to Wood, his inclusion adds an element of genuine pace to England’s bowling attack, providing a point of difference after struggling to match the speed of their opponents in the first two Tests. Wood, who last played a Test match during the Pakistan tour in December, returns after ensuring his fitness following a break to participate in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in April. Wood replaced Tongue, who showcased his skills in his debut Ashes Test at Lord’s, taking five wickets in the match.
England’s playing XI for the third Test: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ben Stokes (c), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad
