The fourth Test of the Ashes 2021-22 between England and Australia starts on 5th January 2022. Australia have managed to retain the urn just inside the 12 days in the series.
The hosts have won all three matches and would be eying a whitewash. England, on the other hand, have looked miserable but skipper Joe Root believes the team can fight back strongly in the fourth Test. Here’s a look at how the two teams shape up ahead of the Sydney Test.
AUS vs ENG: Match Preview, Ashes 2021-22, 4th Test
Australia:
Australia have been a far better team than England in the series. Despite their bowlers getting injured, Aussies continued to fight hard and made life difficult for England batters. Australia crushed England in the last Test, having won the game by an innings and 14 runs. A combined effort from the bowlers led to England getting bowled out for just 185 runs in the first innings.
Pat Cummins ran through England’s top-order, picking the first three wickets for just 61 runs on the board. Later, Lyon and Starc picked 5 wickets combined and didn’t allow England to build any momentum whatsoever. Marcus Harris then played a perfect 76-run knock to guide Australia to 267 in the second innings. The rest of the batsmen, though, succumbed to some impressive bowling display from the English pacers.
Debutant Scott Boland then produced a magical spell of 6 for 7 runs in just 4 overs to bundle England out for just 68 runs in the third innings. Australia would be pretty pleased with the way they have performed thus far in the series. Although, they are likely to make a couple of changes going into the fourth Test.
Travis Head will miss the game due to Covid-19. Either one from Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Marsh is likely to replace him in the eleven. Besides, Josh Hazlewood might get back into the side, and Boland, sadly, has to make way for him.
England
Given how England have played the first three Tests of the series, it’s unlikely that they are going to a make turnaround from here. Although, Joe Root is pretty confident that the team can make a statement in Sydney. England played Zak Crawley in the last Test but his performances didn’t inspire any confidence. He made 12 and 5 in two innings. His partner, Haseeb Hameed too got out cheaply in both innings. Joe Root scored a half-century in England’s first innings. That was the only half-century made by any English player in the Test match.
The likes of Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, and Jos Buttler haven’t inspired any confidence with the bat. All of them got out on low scores. All three are experienced campaigners and need to make great returns if England hopes to win the last Test. England doesn’t have ideal replacements for these three in the dugout and you expect all three of them to play the fourth Test.
Jimmy Anderson looked phenomenal in the last Test and produced a sensational spell of 4 for 33. He will, once again, have a huge responsibility on his shoulders to pick the bulk of the wickets. Ollie Robinson has played all three Tests of the series and the management might give him rest and bring Stuart Broad back into the eleven. Besides, they might think of adding Tom Bess in place of Jack Leach in the spin department.