England announce playing XI for 4th Ashes Test as Stuart Broad replaces Ollie Robinson
Veteran pacer Stuart Broad has been named in England's playing XI for the fourth Ashes Test, which starts in Sydney on Wednesday. According to a report on Cricket Australia's official website, Broad replaces Ollie Robinson.
England's assistant coach Graham Thorpe confirmed that Ollie Robinson is nursing a shoulder niggle. With Chris Woakes also carrying a similar niggle, Broad has made his way back into the playing XI for the Sydney Test.
England have made the call on their XI on the eve of the Sydney Test #Ashes
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Stuart Broad is England's solitary change for the 4th Ashes Test
Stuart Broad's return in place of Ollie Robinson is England's only change for the fourth Ashes Test. The visitors have not tinkered with the rest of the playing XI despite losing by an innings and 14 runs in Melbourne.
Although they have already lost the Ashes, England have decided to give their struggling batting unit another chance to impress.
The Sydney Test marks England and Australia's first game of the year
The fourth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) will mark both England and Australia's first international game of the new calendar year.
England meekly surrendered in the Boxing Day Test to hand Australia the Ashes, taking an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series. The visitors will also be without their head coach Chris Silverwood in Sydney. Silverwood and his family have been forced into a 10-day isolation period owing to a COVID-19 outbreak in the England camp.
Australia announced their playing XI for the fourth Test earlier in the day, with Usman Khawaja replacing Travis Head being the hosts' solitary change. Head has been ruled out of the SCG Test after testing positive for COVID-19.
England's playing XI for the SCG Test: Haseeb Hameed, Zak Crawley, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wk), Mark Wood, Jack Leach, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.