Joe Root
Joe Root en route to his hundred at Headingley. (Image Credit: Twitter)

England skipper Joe Root has backed the left-arm spinner Jack Leach and opening batsman Rory Burns ahead of the second Test to be played in Adelaide. Both the players have attracted a lot of criticisms after failing in the first game at the Gabba which England lost by nine wickets.

Leach gave away 102 runs in just 13 overs at an economy rate of more than seven runs per over in the first innings as Australia went on to pile 425 runs. On the other hand, Burns got out on a first-ball duck in the first innings.

England had a horrendous start to the Ashes down under. Burns missed out on the delivery which was heading to the leg stump and lost his wicket against Mitchell Starc. The team couldn’t recover from it as they were bowled out o a paltry total of 147 runs.

None of the batsmen could cross the 40-run mark. In reply, the Pat Cummins-led side went to score a monumental total of 425 runs. The batsman particularly targeted left-arm spinner Jack Leach so that Root would be forced to ask his tired pacers to bowl again.

Ashes 2021-22: Joe Root Backs Jack Leach And Rory Burns Ahead Of The Second Test
Jack Leach (Image Credit: Twitter)

The second innings didn’t help Rory Burns’s cause as he got out on 13 to a short delivery, rising to his chest bowled by Aussie skipper Cummins. Meanwhile, Root has backed his players ahead of the second Test starting from Thursday, December 16.

Joe Root backs Jack Leach and Rory Burns ahead of the Adelaide Test

“We’ve obviously got some big decisions to make,” Root told reporters in Adelaide.

He said conditions did not suit Leach at the Gabba but Australia could pay the price if they continued to target him elsewhere.

“I’m sure he’ll want to respond and he’ll want to get back into the series and have an impact,” the England skipper said. “Some of the grounds that we will be going to from this point onwards should offer a lot more for him and bring spin into it as well.”

The Dore-born born cricketer has also backed Rory Burns saying that the latter is a strong character. He believes that Burns will come back and put up a big score.

“Rory is a very strong character, you can’t doubt that side of his game,” said Root, himself strongly criticised back in England after winning the toss in Brisbane and opting to bat first.

“He’ll come back in and want a response and want to put some big scores on the board.”

Rory Burns
Rory Burns (Image Credit: Twitter)

The Three Lions are currently behind by 1-0 in the five-match series. The second Test will be a day-night affair and will be played with a pink ball.