With pace spearheads James Anderson and Stuart Broad positive to return, England face Australia in the second Ashes Test, a day/night match, at Adelaide starting on Thursday. 

No team has been able to defeat Australia in a pink ball Test match. The last time Pat Cummins and company played a day/night game in Australia, they had stunned Virat Kohli’s India to win by eight wickets. Going into the second match of the series with a win, the hosts would want to build on their confidence and take a step towards sealing the Ashes. 

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However, Australia will be missing the services of pacer Josh Hazlewood. The 30-year-old has been ruled out of the match because of a side strain he sustained in Australia’s nine-wicket win over England at Brisbane.

Good news for England is that their head coach Chris Silverwood seemed positive about James Anderson and Stuart Broad being ‘fully fit’ for the second Test. With the pink ball expected to offer swing, the two will hold the key to the visitors’ comeback. 

“Jimmy will be fit and ready to go for the second Test, as will Stuart,” Silverwood said. “We have talent and we still have two of the best (bowlers) up our sleeve as well.”

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It wasn’t helped by poor decision-making — notably captain Joe Root choosing to bat after winning the toss on a juicy Gabba pitch and the widely criticised omission of pace veterans Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad.

Root knows his team must find a way to improve, and fast, to stand a chance at a ground where Australia have hosted five of their eight Test wins under lights.

“We have got to be better in the field and with the bat,” he said, but added: “We’re game-hardened now, we’re in the series.”

With the two coming back, one out of Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood or Chris Woakes are likely to miss out. Spinner Jack Leach, who was hammered for 1-102 off 13 overs at the Gabba, can also be dropped. 

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One more concern for Joe Root is Ben Stokes’ form. The all-rounder, who was coming back to international cricket after a six-month break, failed to fire with ball or bat in the first Test. 

“You write Ben Stokes off at your own peril,” Root had said. 

Australia squad: Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith (vc), Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

England squad: Joe Root (Captain), Ben Stokes, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood