Ashes: No Jofra Archer and Ollie Pope! England make changes to playing XI for 4th Test against Australia | Cricket News
England have made some changes to their playing XI for the fourth Ashes Test against Australia. In this year’s Boxing Day Test, England will take on Australia in Melbourne on Friday.The biggest setback is the loss of fast bowler Jofra Archer, who has been ruled out of the rest of the series due to a side strain.
This is another tough blow for England on a tour where nothing has gone their way so far.Archer, 30, had only recently returned to Test cricket after being away for four years because of elbow and back injuries. He picked up the side injury during the third Test in Adelaide and will now miss both the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne and the final Test in Sydney. According to the reports, he will return to the UK after the fourth Test for further checks, and a decision will then be made about his availability for the T20 World Cup early next year.Despite England being 3-0 down, Archer has been one of their few bright spots. He took nine wickets in the series and also scored his first Test half-century in Adelaide. Captain Ben Stokes praised his effort, saying, “The effort that he’s put in over these three games has been exceptional.” He added, “There were a lot of question marks around his ability or whatever it may be coming out to Australia, and he’s put in a great effort for the team.”With Archer out, Gus Atkinson comes into the XI. England are already without Mark Wood, who is also injured, but they do not plan to add another fast bowler to the squad.There is also a major change in the batting line-up. Ollie Pope has been dropped after a poor run of form and replaced by Jacob Bethell. Pope has struggled throughout the series, with a highest score of just 46. His average over the past seven Tests is low, and this is the first time he has been left out of a Test side since 2022.Bethell, 22, has shown promise but has not played much first-class cricket this year. However, he did score 71 for England Lions against Australia A earlier this month, which helped his case.Stokes admitted the mood in the camp is low, saying, “He’s not going to be the only one who’s disappointed in the dressing room with how things have gone… There’s going to be a lot of disappointment within the dressing room from everyone who’s in there.”Ben Duckett keeps his place despite an off-field controversy, with Stokes offering strong support. England now head into the fourth Test hoping these changes can spark a turnaround in a tough Ashes campaign.England XI for Boxing Day Ashes Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue.
