England's decision to leave out veteran pacer Stuart Broad for the Boxing Day Test match in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 has left Michael Vaughan and Shane Warne surprised. Apart from Broad, England dropped Rory Burns, Ollie Pope, and Chris Woakes from the side.
The former England captain Vaughan felt it was a poor call by the team management to not include Broad in the playing eleven. The visitors are currently 2-0 down in the Ashes series and they will have to win or draw the third Test to stay in the competition.
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“I look at someone like Stuart Broad, in Brisbane he wasn’t selected on that green top there, he’s not selected here,” Vaughan said on Fox Cricket.
“How England have not seen Stuart Broad, with all his experience, such a wonderful Test career, is not going to be bowling a ball on a green top in Brisbane and now not here in Melbourne, that’s staggering really.
“So far the only thing they’ve done right on the trip is turn up on time. They’ve got pretty much everything wrong – selection, tactics have not quite been right."
Australian great also had a similar opinion on England's decision to not consider Broad for the third Test match. “Stuart Broad should be playing here (in Melbourne), he should’ve played in Brisbane. How Stuart Broad is not going to be bowling around the wicket to David Warner on a green top, I just can’t fathom that with the quality that he brings,” Warne said.
Warne also posted a tweet and wrote that he would have preferred Broad over Ollie Robinson. “England looks a better-balanced side – but I would have played @StuartBroad8 instead of Robinson & Pope looks a good player to me, but Bairstow had to play,” he tweeted.
Zak Crawley opened the innings for England in the third Test after Pat Cummins asked them to bat first. Jonny Bairstow returned to the middle order, along with Mark Wood and spinner Jack Leach also finding a place. England were bundled out for 185 with Australia 61/1 at close of play.
(With Fox Cricket Inputs)
