Michael Vaughan wants England to make 5 changes for the third Test
Michael Vaughan has urged England to make five changes for the third Test โ a day-night match, starting on February 24. Vaughan wants the visitors to play Zak Crawley, Jonny Bairstow, James Anderson, Jofra Archer and Dom Bess in Ahmedabad.
England received a hammering from India in the second Chennai Test as they were comprehensively beaten by 317 runs. However, Joe Root's team are expected to fare better in the pink-ball Test.
Explaining his changes for the third Test, the former England captain said on the Tuffers and Vaughan podcast:
"I would pick Crawley instead of Burns because [Ravichandran] Ashwin loves bowling at left-handers, and I want to pack that top-four with right-handers; I want four right-handers at the top of the order to try and nullify Ashwin. Heโs brilliant against both, but he has left-handers on toast. So I would go with Crawley instead of Burns at the top of the order."
Dom Bess is almost certain to play in Ahmedabad, with Moeen Ali heading home after the second Test. Off-spinner Bess picked up five wickets in the first Chennai Test, which England won by 227 runs.
Michael Vaughan wants England to play Jofra Archer instead of Stuart Broad
Michael Vaughan was asked whether England should play both James Anderson and Stuart Broad in the third Test. The former batsman replied:
"I donโt think so; I think Jofra Archer plays if heโs fit. If heโs ready to bowl with the venom he did in the first Test, he plays because England need that point of difference. Olly Stone bowled really well, too, so he could also come into the equation."
England need to win the next two Tests to book their place in the ICC World Test Championship final. Meanwhile, Team India need to win the series 2-1 or 3-1 to confirm their spot in the final against New Zealand.
Michael Vaughan's England team for the third Test:
Zak Crawley, Dom Sibley, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Ben Foakes (wk), Dom Bess, Jack Leach, Jofra Archer, James Anderson