Ashes 2021-22 | Joe Root made wrong decision by batting first, says Nasser Hussain
After Australia bundled out England for a paltry 147 runs in the first innings of the series opener in Brisbane, Nasser Hussain has stated that Joe Root has made a wrong decision by opting to bat first. He further added that England have good bowlers, who can put pressure back on Australian batsmen.
England captain, Joe Root, won the toss, and decided to bat first against Australia in the series opener in Brisbane. Root made a brave decision to bat first at Gabba, where the pitch offers great assistance to the bowlers. However, the visitors lost the wicket of opener, Rory Burns in the very first ball of the five-match series, as he could not outplay a swinging yorker from Australia’s Mitchell Starc.
Australia continued their good momentum in the first innings of the Brisbane Test, and bundled out the Joe Root-led side for a meagre total of 147. Australia’s newly appointed Test captain, Pat Cummins ran through the England batting line-up and claimed a five-wicket haul in his first innings as the skipper of the national side in the longest format of the game. Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood provided great support to their captain, and scalped two wickets each.
Meanwhile, Nasser Hussain stated that, Joe Root made the wrong decision to bat first after winning the toss at Gabba. The former England cricketer further added that a captain should be able to read the pitch ahead of the match.
"It was a green pitch here and it had been raining but while everyone focuses on what the pitch is doing on the first morning, as a captain you have to think what the pitch looks like on days three, four and five," Hussain wrote in his Sky Sports column.
"The humidity, the cracks in the pitch, the fact it tends to get a bit quicker - you have to think ahead.
"Obviously 147 all out tells you it was the wrong decision with the way it (the ball) seamed around and bounced and sometimes you can confuse it all. I know, I did it," he added.
Nasser Hussain further added that Australia have vulnerabilities with the bat, and the visitors have got a good bowling unit, who can trouble the opposition batsmen.
"They (Australia) have two world-class players in Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith but David Warner is under a little bit of pressure and they have a few players coming back into test cricket," Hussain added.
"The pitch will still do a bit and (Ollie) Robinson and (Chris) Woakes in these conditions will be a handful... England have a decent bowling attack and Australia have vulnerabilities with the bat."