Moeen Ali returns as England make three changes to their playing XI for 3rd Ashes Test

The England Cricket Team have announced the playing eleven for the third Ashes Test at Headingley in Leeds, starting on Thursday (July 6th). The hosts have carried out three changes from their 43-run loss in the second match at Lord's.

With Ollie Pope ruled out of the Test due to shoulder dislocation, Harry Brook will bat at No. 3 at Headingley. The right-hander will miss the last two Ashes Tests at Old Trafford and the Oval as well. Brook, who scored a half-century in the first innings at Lord's, hasn't batted at first drop since his international debut.

James Anderson and Josh Tongue have been rested from the third Test, with Mark Wood, Moeen Ali, and Chris Woakes returning to the fold. Moeen played the opening Test at Edgbaston and took three wickets; however, a finger injury prevented him from playing at Lord's.

Meanwhile, Woakes and Wood were absent from the first two matches. Wood played an integral role in England's 3-0 win over Pakistan last winter, but hasn't played a Test since the final game of that tour. The right-arm speedster has 90 scalps in 28 Tests at 30.88 with three fifers.

Woakes, meanwhile, hasn't featured in a Test since March 2022 when England travelled to the Caribbean. The right-arm seamer has picked up 130 scalps in 45 Tests at 30.73. Apart from being a handy lower-order batter, Woakes has an exemplary record at home, taking 94 scalps in 25 games at 22.36.

England XI for third Ashes Test:

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow(wk), Ben Stokes (c), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad.

The home side face a must-win clash at Leeds as a draw or Australia win would mean an Ashes retention for them. Both Ben Stokes and Pat Cummins expect a lively crowd at Headingley, especially after Australia's contentious stumping of Jonny Bairstow.

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