Ashes 2021-22 | Not impossible to beat Australia in Brisbane, says Jos Buttler
England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler has opined that it is not impossible to beat Australia in Brisbane ahead of the first Ashes Test at the Gabba on December 8. Buttler also added that the team will have to bring out their 'A game' in the fixture to beat the opposition in the series opener.
Ashes 2021-22 is scheduled to start on December 8 at Gabba and Australia have an impressive record at the venue. They were unbeaten at the venue from 1988 until India broke it earlier this year. It is always considered to be a difficult task beating Australia in Brisbane. England wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler has opined that India's recent victory at Brisbane has proved that it is not impossible to beat the hosts and if the team brings out their A game, they might repeat the same.
"Any time you come and play in Australia as an England team it's a huge challenge, history tells you that. That makes it exciting. Australia tend to play well here (Brisbane) but they obviously lost to India recently at this venue, which proves it's not impossible to beat them here. We know to be able to do that we have to perform close to our best as a side. We focus a lot on ourselves - the opposition are a fantastic team - but we know if we bring our A game we will be there or thereabouts," Buttler said.
James Anderson has been one of the mainstays in the England team and has taken 632 wickets in 166 Test matches. Anderson has been rested for the Gabba Test as he hasn’t been named in the 12-member squad announced by the ECB. Buttler said that Anderson will not participate in the series opener considering workload management and not his fitness.
"Jimmy's not going to play but he is fit," Buttler told media in Brisbane on the eve of the match. "It's obviously a very long series and we want a guy like that to be available to play as much of a part as possible. It's just precautionary. He bowled well yesterday and again today. He's fit but the guys are just being cautious,” he added.
Ben Stokes and Stuart Broad are making a return to international cricket. Stokes took an indefinite break from international cricket earlier this year and will play an important role for England while Broad was away from the sport after he sustained a tear to his right calf during India’s tour to England in August. Buttler revealed that Broad bowled well in the nets and he has been good to go.
"He's good to go I think. He obviously had an injury at the end of the summer in England but he's been coming back well from that. The way the build up has been it's been a little bit challenging in certain ways. He bowled well in the nets yesterday and looks pretty good," Buttler said about Broad.
He also said that Stokes is fit, strong and he’s hitting the ball well.
"He looks fit, strong, he's hitting the ball well, he's bowling well. Massive plus for us obviously as a side with Ben being available to play. He brings so much to the team with his skillset on the field, and it's great to have him back in the ranks, it's a big lift for everyone in the dressing room,’ he explained.
England were whitewashed by 5-nil in 2013/14 against Australia and again suffered a defeat by 4-0 in the 2017/18 series down under. They won the Ashes in Australia in 2010/11 by 3-1 and will be looking forward to repeating the performance.
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