AUS vs ENG: James Anderson In, Ollie Robinson Out! Ricky Ponting Predicts England's Playing XI For 4th Test

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has predicted England’s playing XI for the AUS vs ENG 4th Test in Manchester. Ricky Ponting feels that England should keep the same playing XI for the next Test too. However, Ponting also feels that England can also go ahead with one change in the match by inducting James Anderson for Ollie Robinson.

Ollie Robinson was part of the previous Test at Headingley. However, the right-arm pacer picked up a back injury on the opening day of 3rd Test. Hence, he had to leave the game midway. James Anderson was part of the first two Tests of Ashes 2023. However, after getting just 3 scalps across two matches, the right-arm pacer was dropped from the side in the 3rd Test.

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Ricky Ponting Predicts England’s Playing XI For Manchester Test

While speaking on the latest episode of ICC Review, Australia batting legend Ricky Ponting predicted England’s playing XI for the next Test of Ashes 2023. Ponting feels James Anderson for Ollie Robinson is the only change that is needed in Manchester Test.

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“I think I would keep it (the England XI) exactly the same. I know it’s James Anderson’s home ground. I mean that’s the one they might think about – Anderson for Robinson maybe as Anderson’s had that week off, freshens up and goes to his home ground. I wouldn’t be changing too much if I was England but that would be the only one I’d think about, would be Anderson in for Robinson,” Ricky Ponting said.

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Ricky Ponting also added that James Anderson cannot be ruled out of England team even after his poor show in Ashes 2023. He also said that Anderson never had two consecutive lean games in his career, which is a remarkable thing in itself.

“I’m not going to write him (James Anderson) off. He has been pretty forward in talking about he hasn’t just hasn’t quite felt it he’s absolute best at the start of the summer. He also said it’s only been two Test matches in a row and he couldn’t remember having two really lean Test matches like that in the past and he’s played 180 of them – which is remarkable within itself – but unfortunately everyone’s career comes to an end at some stage and it’s going to be dependent on how well these youngsters keep going”, Ponting further added.

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Ricky Ponting further spoke about the No.3 position in the England batting lineup. After Ollie Pope was ruled out of the entire Ashes 2023 due to an injury, England tried Harry Brook and Moeen Ali at the No.3 position in two innings in the Headingley Test. However, both batters failed to deliver goods. According to Ricky Ponting, England captain Ben Stokes should promote himself to No.3.

“I actually thought that Ben Stokes might have batted himself at number three at Headingley when I realised that Pope was out and Moeen and Woakes came back in,” Ponting said.

“To me he’s got the technique to survive at the top and Moeen hasn’t. We saw that in the second innings.

“I’m not sure if Harry Brook is ever going to be a top-order Test match batsman. I think he’s always going to be a four, five or six type batter with the way that he plays.

“I thought the opportunity was there for Ben because a lot of the time with Stokes and, you know this is no knock on him whatsoever as he’s a terrific player, but a lot of the time he’s got to come in and play a Mr Fix-It role when it’s almost like a damage control sort of role where I’ve always felt that if he batted at No.3 then he could sort of stop some of that damage with the technique that he’s got.

“And the fact that he’s probably not going to bowl if they go in with the same bowling attack, he’s probably not going to bowl in the Test match, so it gives him a chance to be fresher to bat up the order. So that would be something that I’d be thinking about if I was England and certainly something that Australia should be ready for.”

England vs Australia, 4th Test of Ashes 2023, begins on July 19 at Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester. It is the home ground of James Anderson. Australia lead Ashes 2023 2-1 after three games. England need a victory in the next Test to keep their chances of winning the series alive.

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