England have announced the playing XI for the fourth Ashes Test which will start at Old Trafford on July 19.
Veteran pacer James Anderson will replace Ollie Robinson for the fourth as England have decided to go with four pacers to attack Australia’s batting.
Anderson, 40, is England’s all-time leading wicket-taker in Test cricket and is just 12 wickets shy of 700 career wickets in the longer format.
England squad for the fourth Test
Ben Stokes (c), Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jonathan Bairstow, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.
English skipper Ben Stokes prior to the third Test said: "It's a good chance for Jimmy to have a rest up and then get ready to charge in from the James Anderson End at Old Trafford."
Moeen Ali, just like in the third Test, will bat at no. 3 after he asked the head coach Brandon McCullum if he could bat at that position.
"When I took the role on I asked for 10 other selfless cricketers," England captain Stokes said post-match at Headingley.
"And that little moment of Mo going to Baz [McCullum] and saying, 'I want the opportunity' is everything that we're about as a team."
Now, with Ali moving up to no. 3, England will use Harry Brook — the hero of the third Test who scored a crucial 75-run knock — at the no. 5 position where his skills are best put to use.
Australia currently lead the five-match series 2-1 and are just one win away from clinching the series. While England will have all to play for as they need a victory to take the series to the last Test.
Earlier in the third Test at Headingley, England secured an easy victory as they chased a target of 251 in the 50th over on day four.
Despite a very easy target with two full days to chase, the Englishmen followed their “BazBall” approach and decided to wrap it up within 50 overs in the second session of day four.
Chris Woakes played an important knock of 32 runs and sealed the victory for the hosts with a four.
Meanwhile, Mark Wood was named the Player of the Match as he took seven wickets in two innings and also played an exceptional knock of 24 off just eight deliveries in the first inning, hitting three sixes and a four in his short but impactful cameo. He also scored 16 off 8 in the second innings.
- James Anderson