Former England captain Michael Vaugh wants England to get 'nastier' and show some fight in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against Australia. Vaughan feels the ongoing Ashes series between the arch-rivals has been too friendly and that the England players need to rile up the Aussies and get on their nerves to bounce back in the third Test which gets underway from Sunday (December 26).

England were crushed by 275 runs in the second Test in Adelaide on Monday to suffer their second straight defeat in the series and go down 2-0. England captain Joe Root was seen speaking with some of the Australian players post his side's loss. Vaughan said it was not something he would have done as a captain of the England team after losing a game.

"I see on the morning of the game they are all talking to Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon. I never had a conversation with Steve Waugh back in the day. I wouldn't have dared go and speak to Glenn McGrath on the morning of the game or Shane Warne. You just didn't," Vaughan told Fox Cricket.

"It's all a bit friendly. I'd get nasty with them They somehow need to find that on day one. Get into the scrap. Chirp, do whatever, just get into the scrap," he added.

Vaughan feels England need to make some changes not just in their playing XI but also in their attitude on the field. The former captain has urged Root &amp; Co. to pick up fights with the Australian players if it helps the visitors in staging a fightback in the series.

"They are at that stage now where they have to change something. It might be that they all get nasty, get nasty with each other. They all fall out. Who cares, but then come out and show a bit of spirit I actually want to see a bit of mongrel in the England side," said Vaughan.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/why-are-you-captain-ricky-ponting-slams-joe-root-as-england-skipper-blames-bowler-after-ashes-debacle-438704">Why are you captain? Ponting slams Joe Root as England skipper blames bowler after Ashes debacle</a>

After two back-to-back losses in the first two matches of the Ashes 2021-22, England are on the verge of losing the series. Australis will clinch the five-match series 3-0 if they manage to win the third Test which is scheduled to get underway from December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne.

England are expected to make a host of changes in the playing XI for the all-important game with one out of James Anderson or Stuart Broad likely to sit out after their average performance in the second Test which was a pink-ball game.

Former England captain Michael Vaugh wants England to get 'nastier' and show some fight in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against Australia. Vaughan feels the ongoing Ashes series between the arch-rivals has been too friendly and that the England players need to rile up the Aussies and get on their nerves to bounce back in the third Test which gets underway from Sunday (December 26).

Former England captain Michael Vaugh wants England to get 'nastier' and show some fight in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against Australia. Vaughan feels the ongoing Ashes series between the arch-rivals has been too friendly and that the England players need to rile up the Aussies and get on their nerves to bounce back in the third Test which gets underway from Sunday (December 26). England were crushed by 275 runs in the second Test in Adelaide on Monday to suffer their second straight defeat in the series and go down 2-0. England captain Joe Root was seen speaking with some of the Australian players post his side's loss. Vaughan said it was not something he would have done as a captain of the England team after losing a game. "I see on the morning of the game they are all talking to Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon. I never had a conversation with Steve Waugh back in the day. I wouldn't have dared go and speak to Glenn McGrath on the morning of the game or Shane Warne. You just didn't," Vaughan told Fox Cricket. "It's all a bit friendly. I'd get nasty with them They somehow need to find that on day one. Get into the scrap. Chirp, do whatever, just get into the scrap," he added. Vaughan feels England need to make some changes not just in their playing XI but also in their attitude on the field. The former captain has urged Root & Co. to pick up fights with the Australian players if it helps the visitors in staging a fightback in the series. "They are at that stage now where they have to change something. It might be that they all get nasty, get nasty with each other. They all fall out. Who cares, but then come out and show a bit of spirit I actually want to see a bit of mongrel in the England side," said Vaughan. Also Read: Why are you captain? Ponting slams Joe Root as England skipper blames bowler after Ashes debacle After two back-to-back losses in the first two matches of the Ashes 2021-22, England are on the verge of losing the series. Australis will clinch the five-match series 3-0 if they manage to win the third Test which is scheduled to get underway from December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne. England are expected to make a host of changes in the playing XI for the all-important game with one out of James Anderson or Stuart Broad likely to sit out after their average performance in the second Test which was a pink-ball game.

Ashes bit friendly: Michael Vaughan wants Joe Root & Co. to get 'nasty' to bounce back against Australia

Steve Smith captained Australia in the second Test against England after regular skipper Pat Cummins had to miss the game. Cummins was ruled on the morning of the first day of the pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide after coming in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person during his visit to a restaurant in the city.

Cummins was thus asked to isolate and Australia had to name Smith the stand-in captain for the second Test. Smith, who was recently appointed as the vice-captain of the side for the first time since the 2018 Sandpaper scandal, revealed he got to know about the change in captaincy only hours before the start of the game at the Adelaide Oval.

Smith recalled how he had two missed calls from Pat Cummins and a missed message from head coach Justin Langer before he found out about leading the team in the game. Smith-led Australia to a comprehensive 275-run win in the second Test as the hosts bagged back-to-back wins to make it 2-0 in the five-match series.

"On day one, there was not a lot of nerves. I only found out about 10 or 11 a.m. I had two missed calls from Pat and a missed message from (head coach) Justin Langer..." Smith said after Australia's victory.

"I found out the news that Pat was out for the game and I was going to be captain. It's been an enjoyable week, hopefully, we can keep this momentum going," he added.

It was yet another dominant performance from the Aussies, who set up a huge target of 468 runs for England in their second innings after bundling them out for just 236 runs in their first innings. Barring Jos Buttler, who scored 26 runs off 207 balls and Chris Woakes, who scored 44 off 97 deliveries, none of the England batters managed to show some fight against the Australian bowlers.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indias-test-and-odi-series-against-south-africa-to-be-played-behind-closed-doors-due-to-covid-19-438506">&nbsp;India's Test and ODI series against South Africa to be played behind closed doors due to COVID-19</a>

Fast bowler Jhye Richardson claimed a five-wicket haul to help Australia bundle out England for just 192 runs in the second innings and record another big win by 275&nbsp;runs. Australia had won the first Test of the series by nine wickets and are now just one win away from winning Ashes 2021-22 and retaining the prestigious urn.

Steve Smith captained Australia in the second Test against England after regular skipper Pat Cummins had to miss the game. Cummins was ruled on the morning of the first day of the pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide after coming in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person during his visit to a restaurant in the city.

Steve Smith captained Australia in the second Test against England after regular skipper Pat Cummins had to miss the game. Cummins was ruled on the morning of the first day of the pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide after coming in close contact with a COVID-19 positive person during his visit to a restaurant in the city. Cummins was thus asked to isolate and Australia had to name Smith the stand-in captain for the second Test. Smith, who was recently appointed as the vice-captain of the side for the first time since the 2018 Sandpaper scandal, revealed he got to know about the change in captaincy only hours before the start of the game at the Adelaide Oval. Smith recalled how he had two missed calls from Pat Cummins and a missed message from head coach Justin Langer before he found out about leading the team in the game. Smith-led Australia to a comprehensive 275-run win in the second Test as the hosts bagged back-to-back wins to make it 2-0 in the five-match series. "On day one, there was not a lot of nerves. I only found out about 10 or 11 a.m. I had two missed calls from Pat and a missed message from (head coach) Justin Langer..." Smith said after Australia's victory. "I found out the news that Pat was out for the game and I was going to be captain. It's been an enjoyable week, hopefully, we can keep this momentum going," he added. It was yet another dominant performance from the Aussies, who set up a huge target of 468 runs for England in their second innings after bundling them out for just 236 runs in their first innings. Barring Jos Buttler, who scored 26 runs off 207 balls and Chris Woakes, who scored 44 off 97 deliveries, none of the England batters managed to show some fight against the Australian bowlers. Also Read: India's Test and ODI series against South Africa to be played behind closed doors due to COVID-19 Fast bowler Jhye Richardson claimed a five-wicket haul to help Australia bundle out England for just 192 runs in the second innings and record another big win by 275 runs. Australia had won the first Test of the series by nine wickets and are now just one win away from winning Ashes 2021-22 and retaining the prestigious urn.

'Got 2 missed calls from Pat': Steve Smith reveals how he learnt about return to captaincy in 2nd Ashes Test

The second Test between Australia and England ended with the Steve Smith-led Aussies thrashing England by a whopping 275-run margin at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide on Monday (December 20). Despite being without regular captain Pat Cummins and premier pacer Josh Hazlewood, the hosts produced an all-round display to demolish a toothless Joe Root-led England line-up and go 2-0 up in the Ashes 2021/22 series Down Under.

Opting to bat first, Smith-led Aussies posted 473-9 decl. riding on Marnus Labuschagne's 103 and fifties from David Warner, Smith and Alex Carey. In reply, England's batting woes continued as they bundled out for 236. With a lead of 237, Australia added 230&nbsp;more runs in their second essay -- losing nine wickets in the process -- to setup a daunting 468-run target for the visitors.

England showed some character courtesy their lower middle-order's fight on the final day, with Jos Buttler's 207-ball 26, before they were dismissed for a paltry 192 in 113.1 overs to lose by a whopping margin and go further down in the series. Here's a look at the updated points table of the second cycle of the WTC after England's latest drubbing:

<img alt="WTC Points Table after 2nd Ashes Test" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8ccf83e-1544-443d-9706-32812652c111" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WTC%20PT.PNG" />

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2nd-test-hosts-australia-beat-england-by-275-runs-in-adelaide-lead-series-2-0-438371">Ashes, 2nd Test: Hosts Australia beat England by 275 runs in Adelaide, lead series 2-0</a>

Dimuth Karunartne-led Sri Lanka continue to dominate the points table and the Islanders are followed by Australia, Pakistan and India. Root-led England have plenty to ponder upon with them languishing at the bottom-half, only above Bangladesh, at the seventh position. They need a herculean effort to stage a recovery in the Ashes 2021/22 edition with Australia showcasing their dominance at home.

After the loss, Root stated at the post-match presentation, "I feel we competed in patches, but we need to fight the whole game. That’s what is needed to win here. The attitude today was brilliant. We just need to do more of it. I expect us to have that mentality for the rest of the series."

More changes are expected in the WTC points table by the end of December with Test series lined-up between New Zealand-Bangladesh and India-South Africa.&nbsp;

The second Test between Australia and England ended with the Steve Smith-led Aussies thrashing England by a whopping 275-run margin at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide on Monday (December 20).

The second Test between Australia and England ended with the Steve Smith-led Aussies thrashing England by a whopping 275-run margin at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide on Monday (December 20). Despite being without regular captain Pat Cummins and premier pacer Josh Hazlewood, the hosts produced an all-round display to demolish a toothless Joe Root-led England line-up and go 2-0 up in the Ashes 2021/22 series Down Under. Opting to bat first, Smith-led Aussies posted 473-9 decl. riding on Marnus Labuschagne's 103 and fifties from David Warner, Smith and Alex Carey. In reply, England's batting woes continued as they bundled out for 236. With a lead of 237, Australia added 230 more runs in their second essay -- losing nine wickets in the process -- to setup a daunting 468-run target for the visitors. England showed some character courtesy their lower middle-order's fight on the final day, with Jos Buttler's 207-ball 26, before they were dismissed for a paltry 192 in 113.1 overs to lose by a whopping margin and go further down in the series. Here's a look at the updated points table of the second cycle of the WTC after England's latest drubbing: ALSO READ | Ashes, 2nd Test: Hosts Australia beat England by 275 runs in Adelaide, lead series 2-0 Dimuth Karunartne-led Sri Lanka continue to dominate the points table and the Islanders are followed by Australia, Pakistan and India. Root-led England have plenty to ponder upon with them languishing at the bottom-half, only above Bangladesh, at the seventh position. They need a herculean effort to stage a recovery in the Ashes 2021/22 edition with Australia showcasing their dominance at home. After the loss, Root stated at the post-match presentation, "I feel we competed in patches, but we need to fight the whole game. That’s what is needed to win here. The attitude today was brilliant. We just need to do more of it. I expect us to have that mentality for the rest of the series." More changes are expected in the WTC points table by the end of December with Test series lined-up between New Zealand-Bangladesh and India-South Africa.

Updated WTC points table after Australia thrash England in day-night Ashes Test in Adelaide

England had another bad day at the office as Australia once again dominated the proceedings on Day 4 of the onging second Test in Ashes 2021-22. The hosts rode on half-centuries from Marnus Labuschagne (51) and Travis Head (51) to help Australia extend their lead past the 450-run mark and set up a daunting target of 468 runs for England.

England batters were expected to stage a fightback, however, the visitors were further pinned back by the Aussies after losing opener Haseeb Hameed cheaply on a duck in the second over of their second innings. The visitors then lost Dawid Malan (20), Rory Burns (34) and Joe Root (24) by the end of Day 4's play to be reeling at 82/4 with a staggering 386 runs to chase.

For Root, the day went worse from bad as he copped a blow on the box off a delivery from left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc. Root, who had been taken for scans after an abdomen injury during England's first innings, was once again hit around the same region and needed physio's attention.&nbsp;

Root was clearly in pain and not comfortable as he was sene struggling to complete a run after being hit on the box. Root's funny way of completing the run due to the pain left the commentators, including former Australia captain Rickey Ponting in splits. Ponting is part of the commentary panel for 7Cricket for the ongoing Ashes 2021-22.&nbsp;

While some criticised the commentators for their gesture, some fans saw the funny side of the things as the video went viral on social media. David Warner, who was fielding first slip, was also seen smiling as he saw Root complete the run uncomfortably.

Watch video:

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Absolute scenes in the commentary box, completely losing it watching Joe Root run <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashes</a> <a href="https://t.co/0CoJCSPTKD">pic.twitter.com/0CoJCSPTKD</a>
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/7Cricket/status/1472530294976638976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-is-ordinary-and-unlucky-australia-legend-calls-joe-root-poor-captain-as-england-struggle-in-ashes-438168">&nbsp;'He is ordinary and unlucky': Australia legend calls Joe Root poor captain as England struggle in Ashes</a>

Australia close in on back-to-back wins

Australia are currently 1-0 ahead in the Ashes 2021-22 after winning the first Test at The Gabba by nine wickets and care closing in on another big win in Adelaide. The hosts, who picked up four wickets in England's second innings on Day 4, are only six wickets away from clinching the second Test and making it 2-0.

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England had another bad day at the office as Australia once again dominated the proceedings on Day 4 of the onging second Test in Ashes 2021-22. The hosts rode on half-centuries from Marnus Labuschagne (51) and Travis Head (51) to help Australia extend their lead past the 450-run mark and set up a daunting target of 468 runs for England.

England had another bad day at the office as Australia once again dominated the proceedings on Day 4 of the onging second Test in Ashes 2021-22. The hosts rode on half-centuries from Marnus Labuschagne (51) and Travis Head (51) to help Australia extend their lead past the 450-run mark and set up a daunting target of 468 runs for England. England batters were expected to stage a fightback, however, the visitors were further pinned back by the Aussies after losing opener Haseeb Hameed cheaply on a duck in the second over of their second innings. The visitors then lost Dawid Malan (20), Rory Burns (34) and Joe Root (24) by the end of Day 4's play to be reeling at 82/4 with a staggering 386 runs to chase. For Root, the day went worse from bad as he copped a blow on the box off a delivery from left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc. Root, who had been taken for scans after an abdomen injury during England's first innings, was once again hit around the same region and needed physio's attention. Root was clearly in pain and not comfortable as he was sene struggling to complete a run after being hit on the box. Root's funny way of completing the run due to the pain left the commentators, including former Australia captain Rickey Ponting in splits. Ponting is part of the commentary panel for 7Cricket for the ongoing Ashes 2021-22. While some criticised the commentators for their gesture, some fans saw the funny side of the things as the video went viral on social media. David Warner, who was fielding first slip, was also seen smiling as he saw Root complete the run uncomfortably. Watch video: Absolute scenes in the commentary box, completely losing it watching Joe Root run #Ashes pic.twitter.com/0CoJCSPTKD — 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 19, 2021 × Also Read: 'He is ordinary and unlucky': Australia legend calls Joe Root poor captain as England struggle in Ashes Australia close in on back-to-back wins Australia are currently 1-0 ahead in the Ashes 2021-22 after winning the first Test at The Gabba by nine wickets and care closing in on another big win in Adelaide. The hosts, who picked up four wickets in England's second innings on Day 4, are only six wickets away from clinching the second Test and making it 2-0.

WATCH: Ricky Ponting left in splits as Joe Root struggles to run after being hit on the box during 2nd Test

England are currently taking on hosts Australia in what has been a fairly one-sided Ashes 2021-22 so far with the Aussies dominating the proceedings in their own backyard. Australia thrashed England by nine wickets in the first Test at The Gabba to take a 1-0 lead in the series and are currently on the verge of sealing another comprehensive win in the ongoing second Ashes Test between the two sides in Adelaide.

Joe Root has been facing constant criticism amidst England's struggles while the players have also faced a lot of stick for their poor show in the series so far. Recently, Australia legend Ian Chappell weighed in on the captaincy debate between England and Australia and called Pat Cummins a better leader than Root.

Root is the most successful Test captain for England while Cummins is leading Australia for the first time in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22. However, Chappell believes Cummins is a leader who stands up and delivers for his team when the situation requires, while Root is a good batter but not a great captain.

“Cummins acquired the appropriate nickname Postman Pat before he was appointed captain. He is accorded this handle because he regularly delivers, often providing Australia with a wicket when it’s needed. There is a lot to like about Cummins’ appointment, and he certainly delivered in his first captaincy Test with a five-wicket innings haul at the Gabba,” Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo.

Chappell believes there is significant scope for Cummins to improve as captain and that he will learn from his mistakes as he grows in his role as the leader of the team. “Cummins will improve as a captain because that is what good leaders do: they learn from their mistakes and try to avoid making them in the future,” said Chappell.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/salman-butt-on-chances-of-rohit-replacing-kohli-as-test-captain-will-be-clear-there-is-tension-between-them-438153">Salman Butt on chances of Rohit replacing Kohli as Test captain: Will be clear, there is tension between them</a>

The Australian legend labelled Root a poor captain, calling him an ordinary leader who lacks imagination despite having been in a leadership role for a while now.&nbsp;

“Root is an excellent batter but a poor captain. It would not be unfair to describe him as an ordinary and unlucky captain. Rarely do you find a long-term captain who is lacking in imagination but is also lucky. A fortunate captain is usually lucky because the players believe he is some kind of miracle-worker and things tend to work out because of the team’s belief,” Chappell opined.

Australia have looked in control in the Ashes 2021-22 so far and are getting closer to once again retaning the prestigious urn as they move towards a likely win in the second Test in Adelaide.

England are currently taking on hosts Australia in what has been a fairly one-sided Ashes 2021-22 so far with the Aussies dominating the proceedings in their own backyard.

England are currently taking on hosts Australia in what has been a fairly one-sided Ashes 2021-22 so far with the Aussies dominating the proceedings in their own backyard. Australia thrashed England by nine wickets in the first Test at The Gabba to take a 1-0 lead in the series and are currently on the verge of sealing another comprehensive win in the ongoing second Ashes Test between the two sides in Adelaide. Joe Root has been facing constant criticism amidst England's struggles while the players have also faced a lot of stick for their poor show in the series so far. Recently, Australia legend Ian Chappell weighed in on the captaincy debate between England and Australia and called Pat Cummins a better leader than Root. Root is the most successful Test captain for England while Cummins is leading Australia for the first time in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22. However, Chappell believes Cummins is a leader who stands up and delivers for his team when the situation requires, while Root is a good batter but not a great captain. “Cummins acquired the appropriate nickname Postman Pat before he was appointed captain. He is accorded this handle because he regularly delivers, often providing Australia with a wicket when it’s needed. There is a lot to like about Cummins’ appointment, and he certainly delivered in his first captaincy Test with a five-wicket innings haul at the Gabba,” Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo. Chappell believes there is significant scope for Cummins to improve as captain and that he will learn from his mistakes as he grows in his role as the leader of the team. “Cummins will improve as a captain because that is what good leaders do: they learn from their mistakes and try to avoid making them in the future,” said Chappell. Also Read: Salman Butt on chances of Rohit replacing Kohli as Test captain: Will be clear, there is tension between them The Australian legend labelled Root a poor captain, calling him an ordinary leader who lacks imagination despite having been in a leadership role for a while now. “Root is an excellent batter but a poor captain. It would not be unfair to describe him as an ordinary and unlucky captain. Rarely do you find a long-term captain who is lacking in imagination but is also lucky. A fortunate captain is usually lucky because the players believe he is some kind of miracle-worker and things tend to work out because of the team’s belief,” Chappell opined. Australia have looked in control in the Ashes 2021-22 so far and are getting closer to once again retaning the prestigious urn as they move towards a likely win in the second Test in Adelaide.

'He is ordinary and unlucky': Australia legend calls Joe Root poor captain as England struggle in Ashes

England pacer Ollie Robinson turned spinner for the visitors during Day 4 of the ongoing second Test against Australia in the Ashes 2021-22. It was a desperate move from England, who had no spinner left in the playing XI after captain Joe Root took the field late on Day 4. Root had been hit on his abdomen while batting and had to be assessed by the medical staff.

England had headed into the second Test with both James Anderson and Stuart Broad as part of their five-man pace attack also consisting of Chris Woakes, Ben Stokes and Robinson. With no slow bowlers on the field, Robinson decided to change his action and bowl a few overs as a spinner during Australia's second innings.

Fans were wowed by England's pacer's versatility and enjoyed his spin bowling against the Aussie batters. Dawid Malan, who has also not bowled a lot in international cricket, also came up with a few overs of spin during Day 4 of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval. However, it was Robinson's drift from pace to spin which caught the attention of many.

Watch Ollie Robinson bowling spin in the second Ashes Test:

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England pacer Ollie Robinson bowling off spin 
 
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashes2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashes2021</a><a href="https://t.co/ado3C7MC0V">pic.twitter.com/ado3C7MC0V</a>
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England managed to pick some quick wickets in the morning session on Day 4 to restrict Australia to 230/9 in their second innings. However, half-centuries from Marnus Labuschagne (51) and Travis Head (51) helped the hosts take their lead past the 450-run mark and set up a huge target of 468 runs for England.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/mitchell-starc-becomes-first-bowler-to-pick-50-wickets-with-pink-ball-in-day-night-tests-437967">Mitchell Starc becomes first bowler to pick 50 wickets with pink ball in Day-Night Test</a>

Robinson and Malan both picked up two wickets apiece while Root also managed a couple of wickets in his six overs. On the other hand, both Anderson and Broad went wicket-less during Australia's second innings of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide.

England once again got off to a poor start in their second innings as they lost opener Haseeb Hameed cheaply on a duck before Rory Burns and Malan combined to steady the ship. England will have to bat out the entire Day 4 and the final day to give themselves a chance in the pink-ball Test.

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England pacer Ollie Robinson turned spinner for the visitors during Day 4 of the ongoing second Test against Australia in the Ashes 2021-22. It was a desperate move from England, who had no spinner left in the playing XI after captain Joe Root took the field late on Day 4.

England pacer Ollie Robinson turned spinner for the visitors during Day 4 of the ongoing second Test against Australia in the Ashes 2021-22. It was a desperate move from England, who had no spinner left in the playing XI after captain Joe Root took the field late on Day 4. Root had been hit on his abdomen while batting and had to be assessed by the medical staff. England had headed into the second Test with both James Anderson and Stuart Broad as part of their five-man pace attack also consisting of Chris Woakes, Ben Stokes and Robinson. With no slow bowlers on the field, Robinson decided to change his action and bowl a few overs as a spinner during Australia's second innings. Fans were wowed by England's pacer's versatility and enjoyed his spin bowling against the Aussie batters. Dawid Malan, who has also not bowled a lot in international cricket, also came up with a few overs of spin during Day 4 of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval. However, it was Robinson's drift from pace to spin which caught the attention of many. Watch Ollie Robinson bowling spin in the second Ashes Test: England pacer Ollie Robinson bowling off spin #Ashes #Ashes2021pic.twitter.com/ado3C7MC0V — CRICKET VIDEOS (@AbdullahNeaz) December 19, 2021 × England managed to pick some quick wickets in the morning session on Day 4 to restrict Australia to 230/9 in their second innings. However, half-centuries from Marnus Labuschagne (51) and Travis Head (51) helped the hosts take their lead past the 450-run mark and set up a huge target of 468 runs for England. Also Read: Mitchell Starc becomes first bowler to pick 50 wickets with pink ball in Day-Night Test Robinson and Malan both picked up two wickets apiece while Root also managed a couple of wickets in his six overs. On the other hand, both Anderson and Broad went wicket-less during Australia's second innings of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. England once again got off to a poor start in their second innings as they lost opener Haseeb Hameed cheaply on a duck before Rory Burns and Malan combined to steady the ship. England will have to bat out the entire Day 4 and the final day to give themselves a chance in the pink-ball Test.

WATCH: England pacer Ollie Robinson wows fans, turns off-spinner in 2nd Ashes Test against Australia

England captain Joe Root has been in sensational form in Test cricket this year. He has been the highest run-getter in the format in 2021 and is continuing his purple patch in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against Australia. After impressing with the bat in the first Test, Root notched up another half-century in the ongoing second Test against the Aussies in Adelaide on Saturday.

Batting first, Australia once again dominated the proceedings on the first two days of the Test match as they rode on Marnuc Labuschagne's hundred (103) and half-centuries from David Warner (95), Steve Smith (93) and Alex Carey (51) to post a strong total of 473 runs on the board in their first innings.&nbsp;

England once again were under pressure as they lost openers Haseeb Hameed (6) and Rory Burns (4) cheaply towards the end of Day 2 to find themselves reeling on 12/2. However, captain Root combined with Dawid Malan on Day 3 (Saturday) to steady the ship for the visitors.

Both Root and Malan notched up their respective half-centuries and are currently unbeaten out in the middle as England look to stage a fightback. With his fifty, Root also achieved an elusive milestone as he broke the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record to go 5th on the list of most runs scored by any batter in a calendar year in Test cricket.

Tendulkar was placed fifth on the list for his 1562 runs in 2010. Root surpassed him and is now in the closing distance of Michael Clarke, who is at the fourth spot with 1595 runs in 2012.

Most runs in a calendar year in Test cricket:

1) Mohamamd Yousuf (2006): 1788 runs 
2) Viv Richards (1976): 1710 runs 
3) Graeme Smith (2008): 1656 
4) Michael Clarke (2012): 1595 
5) Joe Root (2021): 1563* runs 
6) Sachin Tendulkar (2010): 1562 runs 
7) Sunil Gavaskar (1979): 1555 runs

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2021-they-havent-got-a-clue-with-selections-ian-chappell-reacts-to-englands-struggles-437752">Ashes 2021: 'They haven't got a clue with selections', Ian Chappell reacts to England's struggles</a>

While Root and Malan have added over 130 runs between them for the second wicket so far, England still have a long way to go in nailing down Australia's first-innings total of 473 runs and will need a couple of more big partnerships from their other batters to remain in the pink-ball Test.

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England captain Joe Root has been in sensational form in Test cricket this year. He has been the highest run-getter in the format in 2021 and is continuing his purple patch in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against Australia.

England captain Joe Root has been in sensational form in Test cricket this year. He has been the highest run-getter in the format in 2021 and is continuing his purple patch in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against Australia. After impressing with the bat in the first Test, Root notched up another half-century in the ongoing second Test against the Aussies in Adelaide on Saturday. Batting first, Australia once again dominated the proceedings on the first two days of the Test match as they rode on Marnuc Labuschagne's hundred (103) and half-centuries from David Warner (95), Steve Smith (93) and Alex Carey (51) to post a strong total of 473 runs on the board in their first innings. England once again were under pressure as they lost openers Haseeb Hameed (6) and Rory Burns (4) cheaply towards the end of Day 2 to find themselves reeling on 12/2. However, captain Root combined with Dawid Malan on Day 3 (Saturday) to steady the ship for the visitors. Both Root and Malan notched up their respective half-centuries and are currently unbeaten out in the middle as England look to stage a fightback. With his fifty, Root also achieved an elusive milestone as he broke the legendary Sachin Tendulkar's record to go 5th on the list of most runs scored by any batter in a calendar year in Test cricket. Tendulkar was placed fifth on the list for his 1562 runs in 2010. Root surpassed him and is now in the closing distance of Michael Clarke, who is at the fourth spot with 1595 runs in 2012. Most runs in a calendar year in Test cricket: 1) Mohamamd Yousuf (2006): 1788 runs 2) Viv Richards (1976): 1710 runs 3) Graeme Smith (2008): 1656 4) Michael Clarke (2012): 1595 5) Joe Root (2021): 1563* runs 6) Sachin Tendulkar (2010): 1562 runs 7) Sunil Gavaskar (1979): 1555 runs Also Read: Ashes 2021: 'They haven't got a clue with selections', Ian Chappell reacts to England's struggles While Root and Malan have added over 130 runs between them for the second wicket so far, England still have a long way to go in nailing down Australia's first-innings total of 473 runs and will need a couple of more big partnerships from their other batters to remain in the pink-ball Test.

Joe Root breaks Sachin Tendulkar's record as England captain continues purple patch in Ashes 2021-22

The Joe Root-led England Test team are tottering in the ongoing Ashes 2021/22 edition Down Under. Losing the first Test by a whopping 9-wicket margin versus Pat Cummins-led Australia, the English line-up saw five crucial&nbsp;points being deducted from their tally for slow over-rate at The Gabba, Brisbane.

Nonetheless, the visiting side have been dealt with a bigger blow as three more points have been deducted from as it has been found out that they were eight overs short of the mark post the Brisbane Test (according to the ICC). Hence, Root &amp; Co. have now lost a total of ten points due to slow over-rate in the second cycle of the WTC. For the unversed, England had earlier been penalised for the same reason during their home series versus Virat Kohli-led Team India in August-September.&nbsp;

Following England's points getting deducted further, here's the updated WTC points table that sees Sri Lanka, Australia, Pakistan and India as&nbsp;the top four-ranked sides. England are now languishing at the seventh place, above lowly-ranked Bangladesh.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2021-they-havent-got-a-clue-with-selections-ian-chappell-reacts-to-englands-struggles-437752">Ashes 2021: 'They haven't got a clue with selections', Ian Chappell reacts to England's struggles</a>

<img alt="Updated WTC Points Table" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d58ad6e-494f-4056-a1b8-50e2c4464d44" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WTC.PNG" />

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-may-see-virat-kohli-from-two-years-ago-slamming-centuries-after-centuries-predicts-sunil-gavaskar-437761">We may see Virat Kohli from two years ago slamming centuries after centuries, predicts Sunil Gavaskar</a>

England now have only six points from five&nbsp;Tests in the ongoing second cycle of the WTC. "England were eight overs short (not five overs short as previously announced) but were only fined 100 per cent of their match fee due to the limit,” the ICC said.

"However, the points deduction for penalty overs is not capped and must reflect the actual number of penalty overs a team is short of the minimum requirement as per Clause 16.1.2 of the ICC Playing Conditions, hence they have been penalised one point for each over they were short," it added.

Talking about Ashes 2021's second Test, Australia are in the driver's seat after posting 473 for 9 declared. In reply, England went to stumps on Day 2 being 17 for 2 in the day-night contest at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide.

More changes are expected in the WTC points table following the upcoming New Zealand-Bangladesh and India-South Africa Test series.

The Joe Root-led England Test team are tottering in the ongoing Ashes 2021/22 edition Down Under. Losing the first Test by a whopping 9-wicket margin versus Pat Cummins-led Australia, the English line-up saw five crucial points being deducted from their tally for slow over-rate at The Gabba, Brisbane.

The Joe Root-led England Test team are tottering in the ongoing Ashes 2021/22 edition Down Under. Losing the first Test by a whopping 9-wicket margin versus Pat Cummins-led Australia, the English line-up saw five crucial points being deducted from their tally for slow over-rate at The Gabba, Brisbane. Nonetheless, the visiting side have been dealt with a bigger blow as three more points have been deducted from as it has been found out that they were eight overs short of the mark post the Brisbane Test (according to the ICC). Hence, Root & Co. have now lost a total of ten points due to slow over-rate in the second cycle of the WTC. For the unversed, England had earlier been penalised for the same reason during their home series versus Virat Kohli-led Team India in August-September. Following England's points getting deducted further, here's the updated WTC points table that sees Sri Lanka, Australia, Pakistan and India as the top four-ranked sides. England are now languishing at the seventh place, above lowly-ranked Bangladesh. ALSO READ | Ashes 2021: 'They haven't got a clue with selections', Ian Chappell reacts to England's struggles ALSO READ | We may see Virat Kohli from two years ago slamming centuries after centuries, predicts Sunil Gavaskar England now have only six points from five Tests in the ongoing second cycle of the WTC. "England were eight overs short (not five overs short as previously announced) but were only fined 100 per cent of their match fee due to the limit,” the ICC said. "However, the points deduction for penalty overs is not capped and must reflect the actual number of penalty overs a team is short of the minimum requirement as per Clause 16.1.2 of the ICC Playing Conditions, hence they have been penalised one point for each over they were short," it added. Talking about Ashes 2021's second Test, Australia are in the driver's seat after posting 473 for 9 declared. In reply, England went to stumps on Day 2 being 17 for 2 in the day-night contest at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide. More changes are expected in the WTC points table following the upcoming New Zealand-Bangladesh and India-South Africa Test series.

Updated World Test Championship points table as England penalised for slow over-rate in Ashes opener

Australia continued to dominate the proceedings on Day 2 of the ongoing second Ashes Test against England after a great start on the&nbsp;opening day. Resuming their innings from 221/2 on Day 2, the Aussie batters continued their dominant run and took the England bowlers to the cleaners in the pink-ball encounter. While Marnus Labuschagne notched up his century, Steve Smith (93) and Alex Carey (51) helped Australia cross the 400-run mark comfortably.

England did manage to stage a brief fightback on Day 2 when they picked three wickets in the afternoon session of play. Labuschagne, Travis Head and Cameron Green were all dismissed in quick succession leaving Australia in a spot of bother before Smith and Carey combined to put on a 91-run stand for the sixth wicket and steady the ship for the hosts.

All-rounder Green was dismissed for just 2 runs after being cleaned by Ben Stokes and his dismissal was accurately predicted by former Australia captain Ricky Ponting in the commentary box. Ponting, who is commentating for 7Cricket in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22, had said the deliveries will be straighter for Green as he had&nbsp;a very open front foot.

Stokes did exactly that and bowled a jaffa to beat the right-hander's defence and shatter his stumps. It was a brilliant delivery from the England all-rounder and even better analysis from Ponting, who saw in advance what was coming for Green.

"A very distinct change of tactics now for Cam Green. They will be a lot fuller and lot straighter, they will target his stumps. He sets up with a very open front foot, that is generally a sign of someone worried about LBW and does not want their front foot too far across in the line of the stumps," Ponting said on air before Stokes cleaned up Green.

Watch video:

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"A very distinct change of tactics now for Cam Green - they'll get a lot fuller and a lot straighter, they'll target his stumps." 
 
- Ricky Ponting, right as Ben Stokes runs in and ... bowls Green <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashes</a> <a href="https://t.co/wPTV9kDE1Y">pic.twitter.com/wPTV9kDE1Y</a>
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/7Cricket/status/1471719179543891970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2021-2nd-test-marnus-labuschagne-achieves-rare-feat-with-another-hundred-in-day-night-contest-437620">Marnus Labuschagne achieves rare feat with another hundred in 2nd Ashes Test</a>

Despite losing Green (2) and Head (18) cheaply, Australia managed to post a strong total of 473/9 on the board before declaring their innings to invite England for their first innings. Australia would be hoping to bundle out the visitors quickly and gain a healthy lead heading into their second innings.

&nbsp;

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Australia continued to dominate the proceedings on Day 2 of the ongoing second Ashes Test against England after a great start on the opening day. Resuming their innings from 221/2 on Day 2, the Aussie batters continued their dominant run and took the England bowlers to the cleaners in the pink-ball encounter.

Australia continued to dominate the proceedings on Day 2 of the ongoing second Ashes Test against England after a great start on the opening day. Resuming their innings from 221/2 on Day 2, the Aussie batters continued their dominant run and took the England bowlers to the cleaners in the pink-ball encounter. While Marnus Labuschagne notched up his century, Steve Smith (93) and Alex Carey (51) helped Australia cross the 400-run mark comfortably. England did manage to stage a brief fightback on Day 2 when they picked three wickets in the afternoon session of play. Labuschagne, Travis Head and Cameron Green were all dismissed in quick succession leaving Australia in a spot of bother before Smith and Carey combined to put on a 91-run stand for the sixth wicket and steady the ship for the hosts. All-rounder Green was dismissed for just 2 runs after being cleaned by Ben Stokes and his dismissal was accurately predicted by former Australia captain Ricky Ponting in the commentary box. Ponting, who is commentating for 7Cricket in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22, had said the deliveries will be straighter for Green as he had a very open front foot. Stokes did exactly that and bowled a jaffa to beat the right-hander's defence and shatter his stumps. It was a brilliant delivery from the England all-rounder and even better analysis from Ponting, who saw in advance what was coming for Green. "A very distinct change of tactics now for Cam Green. They will be a lot fuller and lot straighter, they will target his stumps. He sets up with a very open front foot, that is generally a sign of someone worried about LBW and does not want their front foot too far across in the line of the stumps," Ponting said on air before Stokes cleaned up Green. Watch video: "A very distinct change of tactics now for Cam Green - they'll get a lot fuller and a lot straighter, they'll target his stumps." - Ricky Ponting, right as Ben Stokes runs in and ... bowls Green #Ashes pic.twitter.com/wPTV9kDE1Y — 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 17, 2021 × Also Read: Marnus Labuschagne achieves rare feat with another hundred in 2nd Ashes Test Despite losing Green (2) and Head (18) cheaply, Australia managed to post a strong total of 473/9 on the board before declaring their innings to invite England for their first innings. Australia would be hoping to bundle out the visitors quickly and gain a healthy lead heading into their second innings.

Ashes: Ponting accurately predicts Cameron Green's dismissal as Ben Stokes cleans him up with a jaffa - WATCH

Jos Buttler took an absolute screamer in the first session of the opening day of Ashes 2021/22 edition on Thursday (December 16). With Stuart Broad bowling the eighth over, after Australia elected to bat first, the experienced pacer dropped it short and towards the leg side of opener Marcus Harris. Harris got an edge and the ball flew towards the keeper as Buttler&nbsp;timed his dive towards the right and covered some distance to hold onto the catch.

At one point, it looked like the ball would cross Buttler and reach the fence. However, the 31-year-old stunned one and all and produced a brilliant effort to get rid of Harris for cheap. Here's the video of Buttler's wonderful catch which was shared by cricket.com.au's official Twitter handle.

The caption read, "INSANE! Buttler pulls in an all-timer behind the stumps!"

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/explained-why-is-pat-cummins-is-out-of-2nd-ashes-test-as-steve-smith-leads-aussies-in-dn-contest-437308">EXPLAINED! Why is Pat Cummins is out of 2nd Ashes Test as Steve Smith leads Aussies in D/N contest</a>

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INSANE! Buttler pulls in an all-timer behind the stumps! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashes</a> <a href="https://t.co/v96UgK42ce">pic.twitter.com/v96UgK42ce</a>
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1471339065341399043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-australian-cricketer-michael-slater-arrested-and-charged-in-case-of-stalking-and-harassment-437165">Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater arrested and charged in case of stalking and harassment</a>

The second Test, of Ashes 2021/22, is oncourse with Australia off to a good start following Harris' early dismissal. David Warner (95) and Marcus Labuschagne's 100-run stand, for the second-wicket, have kept the Aussies ahead.&nbsp;

For the unversed, Australia are without their regular captain Pat Cummins in the second Test. Cummins has been ruled out after being identified as a close contact of a Covid case. Hence, Steve Smith is leading the side for the first time following the infamous sandpaper gate fiasco, which led to his sacking as Australia captain across formats.

Jos Buttler took an absolute screamer in the first session of the opening day of Ashes 2021/22 edition on Thursday (December 16). With Stuart Broad bowling the eighth over, after Australia elected to bat first, the experienced pacer dropped it short and towards the leg side of opener Marcus Harris.

Jos Buttler took an absolute screamer in the first session of the opening day of Ashes 2021/22 edition on Thursday (December 16). With Stuart Broad bowling the eighth over, after Australia elected to bat first, the experienced pacer dropped it short and towards the leg side of opener Marcus Harris. Harris got an edge and the ball flew towards the keeper as Buttler timed his dive towards the right and covered some distance to hold onto the catch. At one point, it looked like the ball would cross Buttler and reach the fence. However, the 31-year-old stunned one and all and produced a brilliant effort to get rid of Harris for cheap. Here's the video of Buttler's wonderful catch which was shared by cricket.com.au's official Twitter handle. The caption read, "INSANE! Buttler pulls in an all-timer behind the stumps!" ALSO READ | EXPLAINED! Why is Pat Cummins is out of 2nd Ashes Test as Steve Smith leads Aussies in D/N contest INSANE! Buttler pulls in an all-timer behind the stumps! #Ashes pic.twitter.com/v96UgK42ce — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 16, 2021 × ALSO READ | Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater arrested and charged in case of stalking and harassment The second Test, of Ashes 2021/22, is oncourse with Australia off to a good start following Harris' early dismissal. David Warner (95) and Marcus Labuschagne's 100-run stand, for the second-wicket, have kept the Aussies ahead. For the unversed, Australia are without their regular captain Pat Cummins in the second Test. Cummins has been ruled out after being identified as a close contact of a Covid case. Hence, Steve Smith is leading the side for the first time following the infamous sandpaper gate fiasco, which led to his sacking as Australia captain across formats.

Is that a bird? No it's Jos Buttler! England keeper takes a stunner on Day 1 of 2nd Ashes Test - Watch

Australia and England have locked horns with each other in the second Test of Ashes 2021/22 edition, at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide on Thursday (December 16). After Australia thrashed England by 9 wickets in the series opener at The Gabba, Brisbane, the hosts are hot favourites to win the second Test, which is a day-night contest at the picturesque Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, but were dealt with a major blow with skipper Pat Cummins being ruled out.

Cummins isn't injured but had to miss out after being identified as a&nbsp;close contact of a Covid case.&nbsp;Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed the reports and said in a statement, "(He) did not breach any biosecurity protocols. He isolated as soon as he became aware of the situation and has since had a PCR test, which produced a negative result. SA Health has confirmed that Cummins is a close contact and will be required to isolate for seven days."

For the unversed, CA claimed that pacer Mitchell Starc and spinner Nathan Lyon were dining at the same restaurant as Cummins, however, were at a separate table outdoors. Hence, they have been deemed casual contacts and are part of the 2nd Test.

Thus, Steve Smith has replaced Cummins as the Aussie skipper for the day-night contest.&nbsp;Smith is leading the national side for the first time ever since he was removed from the top post after the infamous sandpaper gate fiasco in early 2018.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-australian-cricketer-michael-slater-arrested-and-charged-in-case-of-stalking-and-harassment-437165">Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater arrested and charged in case of stalking and harassment</a>

Cummins tweeted saying, "Gutted to miss this Test but really excited to see Neser finally get his chance in the baggy green. He has done the hard yards and is a seriously skilful player. Super frustrating but COVID has thrown us all some curve balls over the last couple of years. Will be cheering along!"

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Gutted to miss this Test but really excited to see Neser finally get his chance in the baggy green. He has done the hard yards and is a seriously skilful player. Super frustrating but COVID has thrown us all some curve balls over the last couple of years. Will be cheering along!
— Pat Cummins (@patcummins30) <a href="https://twitter.com/patcummins30/status/1471302140597456896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 16, 2021</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ravindra-jadeja-shuns-test-retirement-rumours-in-style-courtesy-a-fitting-post-on-twitter-437162">Ravindra Jadeja shuns Test retirement rumours in style courtesy a fitting post on Twitter</a>

Meanwhile, Smith said at the coin toss, "We are going to have a bat. I think you can control the game if you bat first. Huge honour (to lead Australia again). Feel for Patty for missing this game. Hopefully we can have a good week. He just wished me good luck and said it's your team go well. Excited for Jhye and Michael Neser."

Cummins had led from the front in his maiden outing as the full-time Test captain in the series opener, with a seven-wicket haul in the contest. He will be gutted to miss out but hope for the Aussies to make it 2-0 before he returns to action in the upcoming Tests.

Australia and England have locked horns with each other in the second Test of Ashes 2021/22 edition, at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide on Thursday (December 16). After Australia thrashed England by 9 wickets in the series opener at The Gabba, Brisbane, the hosts are hot favourites to win the second Test, which is a day-night contest at the picturesque Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, but were dealt with a major blow with skipper Pat Cummins being ruled out.

Australia and England have locked horns with each other in the second Test of Ashes 2021/22 edition, at the Adelaide Oval, Adelaide on Thursday (December 16). After Australia thrashed England by 9 wickets in the series opener at The Gabba, Brisbane, the hosts are hot favourites to win the second Test, which is a day-night contest at the picturesque Adelaide Oval, Adelaide, but were dealt with a major blow with skipper Pat Cummins being ruled out. Cummins isn't injured but had to miss out after being identified as a close contact of a Covid case. Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed the reports and said in a statement, "(He) did not breach any biosecurity protocols. He isolated as soon as he became aware of the situation and has since had a PCR test, which produced a negative result. SA Health has confirmed that Cummins is a close contact and will be required to isolate for seven days." For the unversed, CA claimed that pacer Mitchell Starc and spinner Nathan Lyon were dining at the same restaurant as Cummins, however, were at a separate table outdoors. Hence, they have been deemed casual contacts and are part of the 2nd Test. Thus, Steve Smith has replaced Cummins as the Aussie skipper for the day-night contest. Smith is leading the national side for the first time ever since he was removed from the top post after the infamous sandpaper gate fiasco in early 2018. ALSO READ | Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater arrested and charged in case of stalking and harassment Cummins tweeted saying, "Gutted to miss this Test but really excited to see Neser finally get his chance in the baggy green. He has done the hard yards and is a seriously skilful player. Super frustrating but COVID has thrown us all some curve balls over the last couple of years. Will be cheering along!" Gutted to miss this Test but really excited to see Neser finally get his chance in the baggy green. He has done the hard yards and is a seriously skilful player. Super frustrating but COVID has thrown us all some curve balls over the last couple of years. Will be cheering along! — Pat Cummins (@patcummins30) December 16, 2021 × ALSO READ | Ravindra Jadeja shuns Test retirement rumours in style courtesy a fitting post on Twitter Meanwhile, Smith said at the coin toss, "We are going to have a bat. I think you can control the game if you bat first. Huge honour (to lead Australia again). Feel for Patty for missing this game. Hopefully we can have a good week. He just wished me good luck and said it's your team go well. Excited for Jhye and Michael Neser." Cummins had led from the front in his maiden outing as the full-time Test captain in the series opener, with a seven-wicket haul in the contest. He will be gutted to miss out but hope for the Aussies to make it 2-0 before he returns to action in the upcoming Tests.

EXPLAINED! Why is Pat Cummins is out of 2nd Ashes Test as Steve Smith leads Aussies in D/N contest

Australia thrashed England by nine wickets in the series-opener of Ashes 2021-22 to get off to a winning start at The Gabba and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. It was a dominant performance from the Aussies, who proved yet again why Gabba is known as their fortress. Australia will be looking to make it two wins in a row when they take on England in the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide beginning from Thursday.

Ahead of the start of the second Test, Australian spinner Nathan Lyon has made a bold prediction about Ashes 2021-22, backing Australia to register a 5-0 clean sweep against England. Lyon, who became the third Australian bowler to complete 400 Test wickets in the first Test against England, said there is no reason why the hosts can't pull off a 5-0 series win if they play the right brand of cricket.

“I do believe we can win 5-0 ... for sure. “I’ve never walked into a Test series thinking I’m going to go in there and lose a game. We’ll do everything we can. If we prepare well and play the right positive brand of cricket under our new captain, there’s no reason why we can’t win 5-0," Lyon told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“In saying that, England’s a classy outfit, and they’re going to challenge us here and there. With two pink-ball games now, we’re going to make sure we’re totally on our game," he added.

The second Test between the two sides in Adelaide is all set to be a pink-ball affair with England expected to go with an all-pace attack after left-arm spinner Jack Leach was taken to the cleaners in the first Test. Australia might also opt for only pacers in their bowling attack for the game, however, Lyon believes both teams should go with a spinner no matter how the wicket is.

“I’m always happy to play a spinner on no matter what wicket. The way I look at Test cricket, you just can’t pick your team for the first session of the Test. Test cricket is a long, challenging game, but I am expecting [Stuart] Broad and [Jimmy] Anderson to play," said Lyon.

"Whether they play a spinner or not, that’s not up to me. It is challenging but no doubt he’s a class bowler and he’ll bounce back. He’ll do his work and we need to make sure Australia is prepared. I don’t know what the Adelaide wicket is going to look like but I can guarantee it’ll be a cracking wicket in my eyes," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/david-warners-ribs-are-severely-bruised-but-should-open-in-adelaide-travis-head-436815">David Warner's ribs are 'severely bruised' but should open in Adelaide: Travis Head</a>

Australia also have an injury concern in the form of David Warner, who copped blows on his body while batting during the first Test and has 'severely bruised ribs'. However, he is expected to return to full fitness for the second Test in Adelaide and open the batting for the hosts.

Australia thrashed England by nine wickets in the series-opener of Ashes 2021-22 to get off to a winning start at The Gabba and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Australia thrashed England by nine wickets in the series-opener of Ashes 2021-22 to get off to a winning start at The Gabba and take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. It was a dominant performance from the Aussies, who proved yet again why Gabba is known as their fortress. Australia will be looking to make it two wins in a row when they take on England in the second Ashes Test at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide beginning from Thursday. Ahead of the start of the second Test, Australian spinner Nathan Lyon has made a bold prediction about Ashes 2021-22, backing Australia to register a 5-0 clean sweep against England. Lyon, who became the third Australian bowler to complete 400 Test wickets in the first Test against England, said there is no reason why the hosts can't pull off a 5-0 series win if they play the right brand of cricket. “I do believe we can win 5-0 ... for sure. “I’ve never walked into a Test series thinking I’m going to go in there and lose a game. We’ll do everything we can. If we prepare well and play the right positive brand of cricket under our new captain, there’s no reason why we can’t win 5-0," Lyon told The Sydney Morning Herald. “In saying that, England’s a classy outfit, and they’re going to challenge us here and there. With two pink-ball games now, we’re going to make sure we’re totally on our game," he added. The second Test between the two sides in Adelaide is all set to be a pink-ball affair with England expected to go with an all-pace attack after left-arm spinner Jack Leach was taken to the cleaners in the first Test. Australia might also opt for only pacers in their bowling attack for the game, however, Lyon believes both teams should go with a spinner no matter how the wicket is. “I’m always happy to play a spinner on no matter what wicket. The way I look at Test cricket, you just can’t pick your team for the first session of the Test. Test cricket is a long, challenging game, but I am expecting [Stuart] Broad and [Jimmy] Anderson to play," said Lyon. "Whether they play a spinner or not, that’s not up to me. It is challenging but no doubt he’s a class bowler and he’ll bounce back. He’ll do his work and we need to make sure Australia is prepared. I don’t know what the Adelaide wicket is going to look like but I can guarantee it’ll be a cracking wicket in my eyes," he added. Also Read: David Warner's ribs are 'severely bruised' but should open in Adelaide: Travis Head Australia also have an injury concern in the form of David Warner, who copped blows on his body while batting during the first Test and has 'severely bruised ribs'. However, he is expected to return to full fitness for the second Test in Adelaide and open the batting for the hosts.

'We can win 5-0': Australian star makes bold Ashes prediction ahead of 2nd Test against England

Australia`s hero in the opening Ashes Test Travis Head has said ahead of the pink-ball game in Adelaide from December 16 that opener David Warner was a "bit sore" after being struck on the ribs by a Mark Wood delivery during his first innings knock of 94, but added that the batting stalwart was in "good space" for the next match. 
 
The hosts have already been hit by injury woes with pace bowler Josh Hazlewood being ruled out of the second Test and his return for the Boxing Day Test at the MCG from December 26 subject to fitness. 
 
Warner, too, didn`t bat in the second innings of the first Test as Australia completed the run-chase of 20 runs in the sixth over to score a nine-wicket win over the Joe Root-led England. 
 
Reports suggest that even while Warner`s ribs are "severely bruised", scans have cleared him of any major injury, thus improving his chances of returning as an opener in the pink-ball Test. 
 
"I`m not sure if he`ll train (on Tuesday night)," Head was quoted as saying by sen.com.au. "I haven`t been around the boys for a couple of days, but I flew home with him a couple of days ago, his family came to Adelaide which is nice, and he felt like he was in a good space. Obviously, he`s a little bit sore. We didn`t take any risks with him. 
 
"He was going to bat, but in the end our bowlers did a fantastic job to give him a day off. I think for him it`s just rest. I think he`s ready to go, so no issues with David," added Head. 
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Australia`s hero in the opening Ashes Test Travis Head has said ahead of the pink-ball game in Adelaide from December 16 that opener David Warner was a "bit sore" after being struck on the ribs by a Mark Wood delivery during his first innings knock of 94, but added that the batting stalwart was in "good space" for the next match.

Australia`s hero in the opening Ashes Test Travis Head has said ahead of the pink-ball game in Adelaide from December 16 that opener David Warner was a "bit sore" after being struck on the ribs by a Mark Wood delivery during his first innings knock of 94, but added that the batting stalwart was in "good space" for the next match. The hosts have already been hit by injury woes with pace bowler Josh Hazlewood being ruled out of the second Test and his return for the Boxing Day Test at the MCG from December 26 subject to fitness. Warner, too, didn`t bat in the second innings of the first Test as Australia completed the run-chase of 20 runs in the sixth over to score a nine-wicket win over the Joe Root-led England. Reports suggest that even while Warner`s ribs are "severely bruised", scans have cleared him of any major injury, thus improving his chances of returning as an opener in the pink-ball Test. "I`m not sure if he`ll train (on Tuesday night)," Head was quoted as saying by sen.com.au. "I haven`t been around the boys for a couple of days, but I flew home with him a couple of days ago, his family came to Adelaide which is nice, and he felt like he was in a good space. Obviously, he`s a little bit sore. We didn`t take any risks with him. "He was going to bat, but in the end our bowlers did a fantastic job to give him a day off. I think for him it`s just rest. I think he`s ready to go, so no issues with David," added Head.

David Warner's ribs are 'severely bruised' but should open in Adelaide: Travis Head

Former England captain Michael Atherton has lashed out at the visitors after their poor show in the series-opener of the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane. England suffered a humiliating 9-wicket defeat in the first Test as Australia went 1-0 up in the series with a comprehensive win.

England were in a great position at stumps on Day 3 with 223/2 on the board, however, Joe Root &amp; Co. suffered a terrible collapse and were bundled out for just 297 runs. England managed to set up a target of a mere 20 runs for the hosts in their second innings which Australia chased down comfortably with nine wickets to spare to register a massive victory.

Captain Joe Root was once again the saviour for England in their second innings as he helped the team stage a fightback with a brilliant knock of 89 runs along with Dawid Malan (82), however, the duo's departure led to the English batting line-up crumbling under pressure. Atherton slammed England for being overreliant on Root.

"If you look at England in the last dozen Tests... they've become so reliant on Root. And if England are going to do well in Australia, you'd think he's going to have to have a productive series, but he needs others around him to support him as well,"&nbsp;Atherton wrote in his column for Sky Sports.

Atherton felt England were underprepared for the first Test against the Aussies and sympathised with the visitors reasoning that the current conditions due to COVID-19 have taken a toll on the team's preparations and performances on the pitch.

"Malan batted well ... but England's batting in both innings, other than that one partnership, was poor and that's going to cost them. They were completely under-prepared, and I have a lot of sympathy for them in this regard.

"There is the COVID pandemic which has necessitated the kind of schedule they had but then the torrential rains in Queensland just knocked out the minimal preparation they had been given or had given themselves," said Atherton, who led England in 54 Test matches.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/updated-world-test-championship-points-table-after-australia-beat-england-in-ashes-opener-at-the-gabba-436053">Updated WTC&nbsp;points table after Australia beat England in Ashes opener at The Gabba</a>

England will be looking to bounce back to winning ways when they lock horns with Australia in the second Test of Ashes 2021 that gets underway from Thursday (December 16). The second Test will be a pink-ball game which will be played at the Adelaide Oval.

 
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Former England captain Michael Atherton has lashed out at the visitors after their poor show in the series-opener of the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane.

Former England captain Michael Atherton has lashed out at the visitors after their poor show in the series-opener of the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 against Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane. England suffered a humiliating 9-wicket defeat in the first Test as Australia went 1-0 up in the series with a comprehensive win. England were in a great position at stumps on Day 3 with 223/2 on the board, however, Joe Root & Co. suffered a terrible collapse and were bundled out for just 297 runs. England managed to set up a target of a mere 20 runs for the hosts in their second innings which Australia chased down comfortably with nine wickets to spare to register a massive victory. Captain Joe Root was once again the saviour for England in their second innings as he helped the team stage a fightback with a brilliant knock of 89 runs along with Dawid Malan (82), however, the duo's departure led to the English batting line-up crumbling under pressure. Atherton slammed England for being overreliant on Root. "If you look at England in the last dozen Tests... they've become so reliant on Root. And if England are going to do well in Australia, you'd think he's going to have to have a productive series, but he needs others around him to support him as well," Atherton wrote in his column for Sky Sports. Atherton felt England were underprepared for the first Test against the Aussies and sympathised with the visitors reasoning that the current conditions due to COVID-19 have taken a toll on the team's preparations and performances on the pitch. "Malan batted well ... but England's batting in both innings, other than that one partnership, was poor and that's going to cost them. They were completely under-prepared, and I have a lot of sympathy for them in this regard. "There is the COVID pandemic which has necessitated the kind of schedule they had but then the torrential rains in Queensland just knocked out the minimal preparation they had been given or had given themselves," said Atherton, who led England in 54 Test matches. Also Read: Updated WTC points table after Australia beat England in Ashes opener at The Gabba England will be looking to bounce back to winning ways when they lock horns with Australia in the second Test of Ashes 2021 that gets underway from Thursday (December 16). The second Test will be a pink-ball game which will be played at the Adelaide Oval.

'They have become so reliant on Joe Root': Michael Atherton slams England after Gabba defeat in Ashes 2021

Australia thrashed England by 9 wickets in the series-opener of Ashes 2021-22 at The Gabba on Saturday (December 11) to take a 1-0 lead in the high-profile series between the two arch-rivals. It was a dominant performance from the hosts in Brisbane as they bundled out England for a paltry 147 in the first innings before posting a huge total of 425 runs on the board in reply.&nbsp;

England could only manage 297 runs in their second innings and suffered yet another batting collapse on Day 4 of the first Test at The Gabba on Saturday. The visitors handed a target of mere 20 runs to the Aussies, who won with nine wickets to spare to take lead in the series. While the likes of David Warner and Nathan Lyon were the star performers for Australia, wicket-keeper batter Alex Carey also had a memorable outing on Test debut.

Carey, who was playing his maiden Test in the Ashes 2021-22 opener at The Gabba, achieved the feat of taking the most number of catches on Test debut. He took a total of eight catches in the game to break the record of Indian wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant, who had taken seven catches on his Test debut against England in 2018.

Carey also left behind the likes of Australia's Brian Taber and England's Chris Read, who both had seven catches each to their names on their respective Test debuts. After managing only 12 runs in the first innings, Carrey was sent to open the batting for Australia in the second innings with the host needing only 20 runs to win. He scored 9 runs before getting dismissed by Ollie Robinson as Australia wrapped up a dominant victory by nine wickets.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-milestone-man-nathan-lyon-helps-australia-thump-england-by-9-wickets-in-first-test-435976">Ashes - Milestone man Nathan Lyon helps Australia thump England by 9 wickets in first Test</a>

Australian spinner Nathan Lyon also achieved the milestone of 400 Test wickets as he brought an end to a long wait with a four-wicket haul in England's second innings at The Gabba. The spinner had gone wicket-less in the first innings but returned to pick up the wickets of Dawid Malan, Ollie Pope, Mark Wood and Robinon to reah 403 wickets in 101 Test matches so far in his career.

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Australia thrashed England by 9 wickets in the series-opener of Ashes 2021-22 at The Gabba on Saturday (December 11) to take a 1-0 lead in the high-profile series between the two arch-rivals.

Australia thrashed England by 9 wickets in the series-opener of Ashes 2021-22 at The Gabba on Saturday (December 11) to take a 1-0 lead in the high-profile series between the two arch-rivals. It was a dominant performance from the hosts in Brisbane as they bundled out England for a paltry 147 in the first innings before posting a huge total of 425 runs on the board in reply. England could only manage 297 runs in their second innings and suffered yet another batting collapse on Day 4 of the first Test at The Gabba on Saturday. The visitors handed a target of mere 20 runs to the Aussies, who won with nine wickets to spare to take lead in the series. While the likes of David Warner and Nathan Lyon were the star performers for Australia, wicket-keeper batter Alex Carey also had a memorable outing on Test debut. Carey, who was playing his maiden Test in the Ashes 2021-22 opener at The Gabba, achieved the feat of taking the most number of catches on Test debut. He took a total of eight catches in the game to break the record of Indian wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant, who had taken seven catches on his Test debut against England in 2018. Carey also left behind the likes of Australia's Brian Taber and England's Chris Read, who both had seven catches each to their names on their respective Test debuts. After managing only 12 runs in the first innings, Carrey was sent to open the batting for Australia in the second innings with the host needing only 20 runs to win. He scored 9 runs before getting dismissed by Ollie Robinson as Australia wrapped up a dominant victory by nine wickets. Also read: Ashes - Milestone man Nathan Lyon helps Australia thump England by 9 wickets in first Test Australian spinner Nathan Lyon also achieved the milestone of 400 Test wickets as he brought an end to a long wait with a four-wicket haul in England's second innings at The Gabba. The spinner had gone wicket-less in the first innings but returned to pick up the wickets of Dawid Malan, Ollie Pope, Mark Wood and Robinon to reah 403 wickets in 101 Test matches so far in his career.

Ashes: Alex Carey breaks Rishabh Pant's record, scripts elusive feat on Test debut against England

Nathan Lyon captured a long-awaited 400th test victim and spun Australia to an emphatic nine-wicket victory in the first Ashes test in Brisbane on Saturday, with England losing eight wickets in a stunning morning collapse at the Gabba on day four. 
 
Pat Cummins` team head to the day-night second test in Adelaide with huge momentum and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after dominating England with bat, ball and in the field. 
 
The tourists, meanwhile, will be left to pore over their failings in Brisbane, with question marks hanging over their selections and tactics, and with few ready solutions for the batting woes ruthlessly exposed by Australia. 
 
Cummins, in his first match as skipper, said he thought someone was smiling over him. 
 
"A lot of things did go right, probably from the toss," he added. 
 
"I thought it was a really complete performance. The bowlers did their thing on day one. I was really happy how everyone stuck to it. We turned up today and we were still ahead of the game." 
 
Resuming on 220 for two with the match still within their grasp, England lost their last eight wickets for 77 runs to be bowled out for 297 by lunch, leaving Australia needing only 20 runs to win. 
 
England paceman Ollie Robinson dismissed wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who stood in for the injured David Warner, for nine but Marcus Harris (nine not out) hit Mark Wood to the fence to wrap up the match. 
 
England captain Joe Root was disappointed his side could not build on their positive end to day three. 
 
"Frustration," he said. "We worked really hard to get ourselves back in the game last night. It’s a shame that we just couldn’t quite manage to get through that initial phase because it could have been very different." 
 
Lyon, who finished with 4-91 for the second innings, had been stranded on 399 wickets since the series-deciding defeat to India in January at the same venue but wasted no time turning the contest on its head on Saturday. 
 
In his second over, the shaven-headed 34-year-old deceived Dawid Malan (82) with a sharply-dipping ball that produced a bat-pad catch to Marnus Labuschagne in close. 
 
That broke a crucial 162-run stand Malan had built with captain Joe Root on day three that had frustrated Australia`s bowlers and stretched into a third session. 
 
England promptly lost three wickets for 11 runs with a fired-up Cameron Green having Root caught for 89, the England skipper denied a maiden hundred in Australia yet again. 
 
Lyon had Ollie Pope caught for four by Steve Smith at slip with a ball that exploded out of the Gabba pitch to catch the middle order batsman`s edge.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/how-the-hell-do-you-bounce-back-when-greg-chappell-called-ravi-shastri-to-laud-team-india-435898">'How the hell do you bounce back': When Greg Chappell called Ravi Shastri to laud Team India</a> 
 
Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler combined for a 32-run partnership before Australia captain Pat Cummins intervened, squaring up Stokes with a short ball that sent an edge flying to Green in the gully. 
 
Lyon nabbed his third wicket when Ollie Robinson top-edged an attempted reverse-sweep and then his fourth by bowling Mark Wood. 
 
Green completed England`s humiliation with his second wicket by having Chris Woakes caught behind for 16 to wrap up the innings. 
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Nathan Lyon captured a long-awaited 400th test victim and spun Australia to an emphatic nine-wicket victory in the first Ashes test in Brisbane on Saturday, with England losing eight wickets in a stunning morning collapse at the Gabba on day four.

Nathan Lyon captured a long-awaited 400th test victim and spun Australia to an emphatic nine-wicket victory in the first Ashes test in Brisbane on Saturday, with England losing eight wickets in a stunning morning collapse at the Gabba on day four. Pat Cummins` team head to the day-night second test in Adelaide with huge momentum and a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after dominating England with bat, ball and in the field. The tourists, meanwhile, will be left to pore over their failings in Brisbane, with question marks hanging over their selections and tactics, and with few ready solutions for the batting woes ruthlessly exposed by Australia. Cummins, in his first match as skipper, said he thought someone was smiling over him. "A lot of things did go right, probably from the toss," he added. "I thought it was a really complete performance. The bowlers did their thing on day one. I was really happy how everyone stuck to it. We turned up today and we were still ahead of the game." Resuming on 220 for two with the match still within their grasp, England lost their last eight wickets for 77 runs to be bowled out for 297 by lunch, leaving Australia needing only 20 runs to win. England paceman Ollie Robinson dismissed wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who stood in for the injured David Warner, for nine but Marcus Harris (nine not out) hit Mark Wood to the fence to wrap up the match. England captain Joe Root was disappointed his side could not build on their positive end to day three. "Frustration," he said. "We worked really hard to get ourselves back in the game last night. It’s a shame that we just couldn’t quite manage to get through that initial phase because it could have been very different." Lyon, who finished with 4-91 for the second innings, had been stranded on 399 wickets since the series-deciding defeat to India in January at the same venue but wasted no time turning the contest on its head on Saturday. In his second over, the shaven-headed 34-year-old deceived Dawid Malan (82) with a sharply-dipping ball that produced a bat-pad catch to Marnus Labuschagne in close. That broke a crucial 162-run stand Malan had built with captain Joe Root on day three that had frustrated Australia`s bowlers and stretched into a third session. England promptly lost three wickets for 11 runs with a fired-up Cameron Green having Root caught for 89, the England skipper denied a maiden hundred in Australia yet again. Lyon had Ollie Pope caught for four by Steve Smith at slip with a ball that exploded out of the Gabba pitch to catch the middle order batsman`s edge. Also Read: 'How the hell do you bounce back': When Greg Chappell called Ravi Shastri to laud Team India Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler combined for a 32-run partnership before Australia captain Pat Cummins intervened, squaring up Stokes with a short ball that sent an edge flying to Green in the gully. Lyon nabbed his third wicket when Ollie Robinson top-edged an attempted reverse-sweep and then his fourth by bowling Mark Wood. Green completed England`s humiliation with his second wicket by having Chris Woakes caught behind for 16 to wrap up the innings.

Ashes: Milestone man Nathan Lyon helps Australia thump England by 9 wickets in first Test

Australia registered a dominant 9-wicket win against England in the first Test of ongoing Ashes 2020-21 on Saturday (December 11). The hosts produced a superb show with the ball on Day 4 at The Gabba to bundle out England for 297 runs in their second innings and wrap up a comfortable win after chasing down the target of 20 runs with nine wickets to spare.

Australia had earlier skittled out England for a paltry 147 runs in their first innings before Travis Head's brilliant knock of 152 runs along with David Warner's 94 helped them post 425 runs on the board in their first innings to take a massive lead of 278 runs. Nathan Lyon picked up a four-wicket haul in England's second innings to trigger a collapse for the visitors and power Australia to a comprehensive win.

He also completed the milestone of 400 Test wickets with his four-wicket haul in what was a memorable outing for the spinner. With the nine-wicket win against England, Australia moved to the second spot on the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 table as they kicked off their campaign with a win. India slipped to the 4th spot while Babar Azam-led Pakistan are placed second.

Sri Lanka are on the top spot in the WTC rankings with 24 points and a 100% win percentage in two matches so far in the cycle. England are currently at the sixth spot with only 14 points and a win percentage of just 23.33.

Check out the updated World Test Championship points table after Australia beat England at The Gabba:

<img alt="WTC points table after 1st Ashes Test" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="293d3744-9ea4-439b-b401-599a525725aa" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/WTC%20points%20table%20Ashes.png" />

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-knew-it-was-sandpaper-barmy-army-hilariously-prank-aussie-pacer-josh-hazlewood-during-1st-ashes-test-436021">'I knew it was sandpaper': Barmy Army hilariously prank Aussie pacer Hazlewood during 1st Ashes Test</a>&nbsp;

England were in a great position at the stumps on Day 3 with captain Joe Root unbeaten on 86 and Dawid Malan playing on 80. The visitors had ended the day on 220/2 after an unbeaten stand of 159 runs between Malan and Root.

However, English batting line-up suffered a terrible collapse on the penultimate day of the Test match as Lyon spun Australia to a massive win with his bowling heroics.

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Australia registered a dominant 9-wicket win against England in the first Test of ongoing Ashes 2020-21 on Saturday (December 11). The hosts produced a superb show with the ball on Day 4 at The Gabba to bundle out England for 297 runs in their second innings and wrap up a comfortable win after chasing down the target of 20 runs with nine wickets to spare.

Australia registered a dominant 9-wicket win against England in the first Test of ongoing Ashes 2020-21 on Saturday (December 11). The hosts produced a superb show with the ball on Day 4 at The Gabba to bundle out England for 297 runs in their second innings and wrap up a comfortable win after chasing down the target of 20 runs with nine wickets to spare. Australia had earlier skittled out England for a paltry 147 runs in their first innings before Travis Head's brilliant knock of 152 runs along with David Warner's 94 helped them post 425 runs on the board in their first innings to take a massive lead of 278 runs. Nathan Lyon picked up a four-wicket haul in England's second innings to trigger a collapse for the visitors and power Australia to a comprehensive win. He also completed the milestone of 400 Test wickets with his four-wicket haul in what was a memorable outing for the spinner. With the nine-wicket win against England, Australia moved to the second spot on the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 table as they kicked off their campaign with a win. India slipped to the 4th spot while Babar Azam-led Pakistan are placed second. Sri Lanka are on the top spot in the WTC rankings with 24 points and a 100% win percentage in two matches so far in the cycle. England are currently at the sixth spot with only 14 points and a win percentage of just 23.33. Check out the updated World Test Championship points table after Australia beat England at The Gabba: Also Read: 'I knew it was sandpaper': Barmy Army hilariously prank Aussie pacer Hazlewood during 1st Ashes Test England were in a great position at the stumps on Day 3 with captain Joe Root unbeaten on 86 and Dawid Malan playing on 80. The visitors had ended the day on 220/2 after an unbeaten stand of 159 runs between Malan and Root. However, English batting line-up suffered a terrible collapse on the penultimate day of the Test match as Lyon spun Australia to a massive win with his bowling heroics.

Updated World Test Championship points table after Australia beat England in Ashes opener at The Gabba

Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood fell victim to a hilarious prank by England's fan group Barmy Army during the first Test of the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 at The Gabba in Brisbane. The Aussie players signed a few autographs for the fans on the boundary line during the series opener at The Gabba in Brisbane.

Hazlewood also signed a few autographs and fell prey to a witty prank pulled off by a member of the Barmy Army.&nbsp;The fan got Hazlewood to sign a picture of himself, however, the Australian pacer was not aware of the cheeky text written on the bottom of the photograph.&nbsp;

“I Joshua ‘Joshie’ Hazlewood do solemnly sear (swear) that I knew it was sandpaper," read the text at the bottom as Barmy Army once again had a laugh at the expense of the Australian team by taking a dig at them over the Sandpaper Gate that rocked Australian cricket in 2018.

The Barmy Army took to Twitter to share the picture of the photograph signed by Hazlewood and captioned the post - "Josh Hazlewood just signed this on the boundary, we knew it".

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Josh Hazlewood just signed this on the boundary, we knew it <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashes</a> <a href="https://t.co/Nvx5Llz7ut">pic.twitter.com/Nvx5Llz7ut</a>
— England’s Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBarmyArmy/status/1469477760192192518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Hazlewood was part of the Australian playing XI in the infamous Cape Town Test against South Africa in 2018 when Cameron Bancroft was caught live on the camera trying to tamper with the ball using sandpaper. The sandpaper scandal saw Cricket Australia (CA) endure immense criticism.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-alex-carey-breaks-rishabh-pants-record-scripts-elusive-feat-on-test-debut-against-england-435999">Alex Carey breaks Rishabh Pant's record, scripts elusive feat on Test debut against England</a>

It also led to the Australian cricket board handing out bans of one year each to then captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner for their role in the ball-tampering scandal. Bancroft, on the other hand, was banned for nine months for his actions.

Earlier this year, Bancroft opened up on the saga and hinted that the Australian bowlers playing the game were aware of the whole plot. However, Hazlewood and other Australian bowlers who played in the game have maintained they had no role to play in the incident.

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Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood fell victim to a hilarious prank by England's fan group Barmy Army during the first Test of the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 at The Gabba in Brisbane.

Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood fell victim to a hilarious prank by England's fan group Barmy Army during the first Test of the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 at The Gabba in Brisbane. The Aussie players signed a few autographs for the fans on the boundary line during the series opener at The Gabba in Brisbane. Hazlewood also signed a few autographs and fell prey to a witty prank pulled off by a member of the Barmy Army. The fan got Hazlewood to sign a picture of himself, however, the Australian pacer was not aware of the cheeky text written on the bottom of the photograph. “I Joshua ‘Joshie’ Hazlewood do solemnly sear (swear) that I knew it was sandpaper," read the text at the bottom as Barmy Army once again had a laugh at the expense of the Australian team by taking a dig at them over the Sandpaper Gate that rocked Australian cricket in 2018. The Barmy Army took to Twitter to share the picture of the photograph signed by Hazlewood and captioned the post - "Josh Hazlewood just signed this on the boundary, we knew it". Josh Hazlewood just signed this on the boundary, we knew it #Ashes pic.twitter.com/Nvx5Llz7ut — England’s Barmy Army (@TheBarmyArmy) December 11, 2021 × Hazlewood was part of the Australian playing XI in the infamous Cape Town Test against South Africa in 2018 when Cameron Bancroft was caught live on the camera trying to tamper with the ball using sandpaper. The sandpaper scandal saw Cricket Australia (CA) endure immense criticism. Also Read: Alex Carey breaks Rishabh Pant's record, scripts elusive feat on Test debut against England It also led to the Australian cricket board handing out bans of one year each to then captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner for their role in the ball-tampering scandal. Bancroft, on the other hand, was banned for nine months for his actions. Earlier this year, Bancroft opened up on the saga and hinted that the Australian bowlers playing the game were aware of the whole plot. However, Hazlewood and other Australian bowlers who played in the game have maintained they had no role to play in the incident.

'I knew it was sandpaper': Barmy Army hilariously prank Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood during 1st Ashes Test

England captain Joe Root has been enjoying stellar form with the willow in Tests so far this year. He is the highest run-getter in the longest format as far as 2021 is concerned and is now closing in on the records of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar after a brilliant knock of unbeaten 86 in England's second innings of the ongoing 1st Ashes Test against Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane.

After being dismissed on a duck in the first innings, Root bounced back with a superb knock under pressure in his side's second innings to help England fight back in the game. Root scored 86 runs off 158 balls with the help of ten fours and added a crucial unbeaten stand of 159 runs with Dawid Malan (80) to help the visitors end Day 3 on 220/2, trailing the Aussies by 58 runs.

With his unbeaten 86, Root surpassed former England captain Michael Vaughan to bag the record for most runs by an English batter in a calendar year in Test cricket. Root has now taken his tally to 1541 runs in Test matches this year and is on the verge of breaking the records of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar.

Joe Root closes in on Sachin, Gavaskar's record:

Root is currently placed eighth on the all-time list of batters with most Test runs in a calendar year. The list is topped by Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf, who notched up a stunning 1788 runs in just 11 Test matches in 2006. Yousuf is followed by West Indies legend Viv Richards (1710 runs in 1976) and former South Africa captain Graeme Smith (1656 runs in 2008) at the second and the third spot respectively.

Root is just four runs away from overtaking former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who scored 1544 runs in Test matches in 2005. Root can also break the records of Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, who are placed fifth and sixth respectively with 1555 and 1562 runs in a calendar year.

Most runs in a calendar year&nbsp;

1) Mohammad Yousuf (PAK) - 1788&nbsp;runs in 2006&nbsp; 
2) Vivian&nbsp;Richards (WI) - 1710 runs in 1976 
3) Graeme&nbsp;Smith (SA) - 1656 runs in 2008 
4) Michael&nbsp;Clarke (AUS)&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;- 1595 runs in 2012 
5) Sachin Tendulkar (INDIA) - 1562&nbsp; runs in 2010&nbsp;&nbsp; 
6) Sunil&nbsp;Gavaskar (INDIA)- 1555&nbsp; runs in 1979 
7) Ricky&nbsp;Ponting (AUS) - 1544 runs in 2005 
8) Joe&nbsp;Root (ENG) - 1541 runs in 2021

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Root has been in sensational form in the whites for England this year. He has two double hundreds, six centuries and two fifties to his name so far in the year 2021 and is just 22 runs away from overtaking both Gavaskar and Sachin to take the 4th spot on the elite list of batters with most runs in a calendar year.

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England captain Joe Root has been enjoying stellar form with the willow in Tests so far this year. He is the highest run-getter in the longest format as far as 2021 is concerned and is now closing in on the records of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar after a brilliant knock of unbeaten 86 in England's second innings of the ongoing 1st Ashes Test against Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane.

England captain Joe Root has been enjoying stellar form with the willow in Tests so far this year. He is the highest run-getter in the longest format as far as 2021 is concerned and is now closing in on the records of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar after a brilliant knock of unbeaten 86 in England's second innings of the ongoing 1st Ashes Test against Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane. After being dismissed on a duck in the first innings, Root bounced back with a superb knock under pressure in his side's second innings to help England fight back in the game. Root scored 86 runs off 158 balls with the help of ten fours and added a crucial unbeaten stand of 159 runs with Dawid Malan (80) to help the visitors end Day 3 on 220/2, trailing the Aussies by 58 runs. With his unbeaten 86, Root surpassed former England captain Michael Vaughan to bag the record for most runs by an English batter in a calendar year in Test cricket. Root has now taken his tally to 1541 runs in Test matches this year and is on the verge of breaking the records of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar. Joe Root closes in on Sachin, Gavaskar's record: Root is currently placed eighth on the all-time list of batters with most Test runs in a calendar year. The list is topped by Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf, who notched up a stunning 1788 runs in just 11 Test matches in 2006. Yousuf is followed by West Indies legend Viv Richards (1710 runs in 1976) and former South Africa captain Graeme Smith (1656 runs in 2008) at the second and the third spot respectively. Root is just four runs away from overtaking former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who scored 1544 runs in Test matches in 2005. Root can also break the records of Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, who are placed fifth and sixth respectively with 1555 and 1562 runs in a calendar year. Most runs in a calendar year 1) Mohammad Yousuf (PAK) - 1788 runs in 2006 2) Vivian Richards (WI) - 1710 runs in 1976 3) Graeme Smith (SA) - 1656 runs in 2008 4) Michael Clarke (AUS) - 1595 runs in 2012 5) Sachin Tendulkar (INDIA) - 1562 runs in 2010 6) Sunil Gavaskar (INDIA)- 1555 runs in 1979 7) Ricky Ponting (AUS) - 1544 runs in 2005 8) Joe Root (ENG) - 1541 runs in 2021 Also Read: Ashes: Joe Root, Dawid Malan's 159-run stand helps England fightback on Day 3 of 1st Test Root has been in sensational form in the whites for England this year. He has two double hundreds, six centuries and two fifties to his name so far in the year 2021 and is just 22 runs away from overtaking both Gavaskar and Sachin to take the 4th spot on the elite list of batters with most runs in a calendar year.

Joe Root on verge of breaking Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar's record in Ashes opener against Australia

England all-rounder Ben Stokes suffered a knee injury during the first Ashes Test here at the Gabba, Brisbane on Thursday.

Stokes suffered the injury during the 29th over of the first Test when he was chasing a ball to the boundary.

He will be assessed overnight by the medical staff team, as he was clearly seen struggling the entire day.

"Obviously Ben has hurt himself on the field today so didn't bowl full pace at the back end of the day. Think our medical guys will assess him overnight and see how he is. Other than that the guys are okay," said England bowling coach Jon Lewis as reported by ESPNcricinfo.

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Talking about the team's preparations, Lewis said that the team will 'dust'&nbsp;themselves, and will be all set to perform on Day 3 of the Ashes.

"Our preparation probably played a part in the last session, but it is what it is, similar for both sides. I know the guys will front up again tomorrow, there's a lot of character, I know they've been in some pretty sticky situations before and they've come through it all right. I know the guys will dust themselves down tonight," said Jon Lewis.

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Coming to the match, Travis Head and David Warner played knocks of 112 and 94 respectively as Australia extended its lead to 196 against England on Day 2 of the ongoing first Ashes Test here at the Gabba, Brisbane on Thursday.

At stumps, Australia's score read 343/7 with the hosts extending their lead to 196 runs. Head (112*) and Mitchell Starc (10*) are currently unbeaten at the crease.&nbsp;

England all-rounder Ben Stokes suffered a knee injury during the first Ashes Test here at the Gabba, Brisbane on Thursday. Stokes suffered the injury during the 29th over of the first Test when he was chasing a ball to the boundary.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes suffered a knee injury during the first Ashes Test here at the Gabba, Brisbane on Thursday. Stokes suffered the injury during the 29th over of the first Test when he was chasing a ball to the boundary. He will be assessed overnight by the medical staff team, as he was clearly seen struggling the entire day. "Obviously Ben has hurt himself on the field today so didn't bowl full pace at the back end of the day. Think our medical guys will assess him overnight and see how he is. Other than that the guys are okay," said England bowling coach Jon Lewis as reported by ESPNcricinfo. ALSO READ: Ashes, 1st Test 2nd day: Travis Head slams quickfire 112* to put Australia in control over England Talking about the team's preparations, Lewis said that the team will 'dust' themselves, and will be all set to perform on Day 3 of the Ashes. "Our preparation probably played a part in the last session, but it is what it is, similar for both sides. I know the guys will front up again tomorrow, there's a lot of character, I know they've been in some pretty sticky situations before and they've come through it all right. I know the guys will dust themselves down tonight," said Jon Lewis. ALSO READ: 'Thank you Captain', BCCI thanks Virat Kohli for his service as Team India's ODI captain Coming to the match, Travis Head and David Warner played knocks of 112 and 94 respectively as Australia extended its lead to 196 against England on Day 2 of the ongoing first Ashes Test here at the Gabba, Brisbane on Thursday. At stumps, Australia's score read 343/7 with the hosts extending their lead to 196 runs. Head (112*) and Mitchell Starc (10*) are currently unbeaten at the crease.

Ashes 2021: England all-rounder Ben Stokes suffers knee injury, medical staff to assess him overnight

The Ashes 2021/22 edition finally kicked off on Wednesday (December 8) at The Gabba, Brisbane. Pat Cummins-led Australia made an emphatic start to the series as they bundled out Joe Root's England for a paltry 146 in the first innings on a rain-marred opening day after the visitors elected to bat first.

Mitchell Starc struck on the very first ball of the contest to get rid of English opener Rory Burns and the visitors never recovered from thereon. Newly-appointed Test captain Pat Cummins returned with 5 for 38 in 13.1 overs, dismissing Haseeb Hameed, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and the likes, as England folded for 146 in 50.1 overs. While rain break didn't lead to the Aussies coming out to bat, England have a huge task in hand to bounce back in the series opener.&nbsp;

Former Aussie cricketer-turned-commentator Ian Chappell, thus, slammed Root after England's flop show on Day 1 of Ashes 2021/22.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/starc-adds-his-name-to-elite-list-with-first-ball-dismissal-of-rory-burns-in-ashes-2021-opener-watch-435085">Starc adds his name to elite list with first-ball dismissal of Rory Burns in Ashes 2021 opener - Watch</a>

Talking to&nbsp;SportsDay, Chappell said, "I think he’s (Root) a very good batsman but he’s not much of a captain. He doesn’t have a great imagination and I think that’s important in Australia."

On the other hand, he asserted, "Pat Cummins will be a good captain, I think it will take him a while to get into the job but I think by the end of the series, I think Pat will be miles in front of Joe (Root) as a captain and if that’s the case, Australia will win pretty comfortably," said Chappell.&nbsp;

He added, "I think Stokes would be a good captain. Aggressive players don’t always make good captains but I think Stokes has a lot going for him. He has a great cricket brain, he’s a great batsman and bowler and don’t underestimate his fielding. I think he would be a good captain and Joe Root would do well to listen to him."

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Root took over as England's captain in mid-2017. While he has had good success as a leader in the purest format, his captaincy skills will be under the read throughout Ashes 2021/22 edition Down Under. During England's last Test series on Aussie soil, Root &amp; Co. had lost 4-0, hence, the pressure is on the English skipper to turn the tides for his national side in this Aussie summer.

The Ashes 2021/22 edition finally kicked off on Wednesday (December 8) at The Gabba, Brisbane. Pat Cummins-led Australia made an emphatic start to the series as they bundled out Joe Root's England for a paltry 146 in the first innings on a rain-marred opening day after the visitors elected to bat first.

The Ashes 2021/22 edition finally kicked off on Wednesday (December 8) at The Gabba, Brisbane. Pat Cummins-led Australia made an emphatic start to the series as they bundled out Joe Root's England for a paltry 146 in the first innings on a rain-marred opening day after the visitors elected to bat first. Mitchell Starc struck on the very first ball of the contest to get rid of English opener Rory Burns and the visitors never recovered from thereon. Newly-appointed Test captain Pat Cummins returned with 5 for 38 in 13.1 overs, dismissing Haseeb Hameed, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and the likes, as England folded for 146 in 50.1 overs. While rain break didn't lead to the Aussies coming out to bat, England have a huge task in hand to bounce back in the series opener. Former Aussie cricketer-turned-commentator Ian Chappell, thus, slammed Root after England's flop show on Day 1 of Ashes 2021/22. ALSO READ | Starc adds his name to elite list with first-ball dismissal of Rory Burns in Ashes 2021 opener - Watch Talking to SportsDay, Chappell said, "I think he’s (Root) a very good batsman but he’s not much of a captain. He doesn’t have a great imagination and I think that’s important in Australia." On the other hand, he asserted, "Pat Cummins will be a good captain, I think it will take him a while to get into the job but I think by the end of the series, I think Pat will be miles in front of Joe (Root) as a captain and if that’s the case, Australia will win pretty comfortably," said Chappell. He added, "I think Stokes would be a good captain. Aggressive players don’t always make good captains but I think Stokes has a lot going for him. He has a great cricket brain, he’s a great batsman and bowler and don’t underestimate his fielding. I think he would be a good captain and Joe Root would do well to listen to him." ALSO READ | Ashes 2021: Pat Cummins shines on captaincy debut, breaks plethora of records with five-fer vs England Root took over as England's captain in mid-2017. While he has had good success as a leader in the purest format, his captaincy skills will be under the read throughout Ashes 2021/22 edition Down Under. During England's last Test series on Aussie soil, Root & Co. had lost 4-0, hence, the pressure is on the English skipper to turn the tides for his national side in this Aussie summer.

'He’s not much of a captain' - Chappell slams Joe Root after England's flop show on Day 1 of Ashes 2021 opener

After the end of the New Zealand series at home, Indian opener Mayank Agarwal and ace off-spinner R Ashwin made massive gains in the latest ICC Test rankings for batters and bowlers, respectively. Mayank, who was the Player-of-the-Match in the second and final Test in Mumbai, jumped up 30 spots following his masterclass 150 at the Wankhede Stadium versus the Black Caps.

Thus, the right-hander finds himself at the 11th position. In the top ten, Joe Root continues to lead the chart whereas Rohit Sharma (fifth position) and Virat Kohli (at sixth place) are the only two Indians in the top ten. For the bowlers, Ashwin gained&nbsp;43 rating points to reach a total of 883 and be at the second spot, narrowing his gap with Aussie Test captain and pacer Pat Cummins (908 rating points). Josh Hazlewood is at the third spot.

Ashwin, who ended the series with 14 wickets and valuable runs from the willow, also moved up in the list for all-rounders. The 35-year-old occupies the second spot in the list headed by Jason Holder. Ravindra Jadeja, who missed the second Test in Mumbai, slipped to the fourth position.

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After grabbing the Player-of-the-Series award post the NZ Tests, Ashwin had told broadcasters, "I think I've got 10 (Player of the Series awards now). I enjoyed Wankhede honestly, and everyday there was something new, and I could challenge both edges. It was a wonderful performance by Ajaz. It doesn't spin all the time in Wankhede, and he used the seam and put the ball in the right places, and there was a bit of destiny involved in his 10-for too. Jayant and I have trained together, he flew to Chennai from Haryana in 2014 to pick my mind, so we have a good relation. Axar and I have played since Kings XI. I would like to go to South Africa and win a series there, we haven't done that before, and hopefully we can do it this time."

Mumbai Test's star spinner Ajaz Patel, who became only the third bowler to take ten wickets in an innings, also jumped 23 slots to occupy the 38th position. The New Zealander had started the India series at the 62nd position.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-led-india-regain-no-1-spot-in-icc-test-rankings-after-series-win-vs-new-zealand-434531">Virat Kohli-led India regain No. 1 spot in ICC Test rankings after series win vs New Zealand</a>

Among the teams, Kohli-led India are at the top after the 1-0 series win over World Test champions NZ. The Kiwis, Australia, England and Pakistan follow suit in the top five.

India's next Test assignment is versus South Africa, in the African nation, where they will play three Tests and equal number of ODIs. The first Test kicks off on December 26 in Centurion.

After the end of the New Zealand series at home, Indian opener Mayank Agarwal and ace off-spinner R Ashwin made massive gains in the latest ICC Test rankings for batters and bowlers, respectively.

After the end of the New Zealand series at home, Indian opener Mayank Agarwal and ace off-spinner R Ashwin made massive gains in the latest ICC Test rankings for batters and bowlers, respectively. Mayank, who was the Player-of-the-Match in the second and final Test in Mumbai, jumped up 30 spots following his masterclass 150 at the Wankhede Stadium versus the Black Caps. Thus, the right-hander finds himself at the 11th position. In the top ten, Joe Root continues to lead the chart whereas Rohit Sharma (fifth position) and Virat Kohli (at sixth place) are the only two Indians in the top ten. For the bowlers, Ashwin gained 43 rating points to reach a total of 883 and be at the second spot, narrowing his gap with Aussie Test captain and pacer Pat Cummins (908 rating points). Josh Hazlewood is at the third spot. Ashwin, who ended the series with 14 wickets and valuable runs from the willow, also moved up in the list for all-rounders. The 35-year-old occupies the second spot in the list headed by Jason Holder. Ravindra Jadeja, who missed the second Test in Mumbai, slipped to the fourth position. ALSO READ | Updated World Test Championship points table after India vs New Zealand series After grabbing the Player-of-the-Series award post the NZ Tests, Ashwin had told broadcasters, "I think I've got 10 (Player of the Series awards now). I enjoyed Wankhede honestly, and everyday there was something new, and I could challenge both edges. It was a wonderful performance by Ajaz. It doesn't spin all the time in Wankhede, and he used the seam and put the ball in the right places, and there was a bit of destiny involved in his 10-for too. Jayant and I have trained together, he flew to Chennai from Haryana in 2014 to pick my mind, so we have a good relation. Axar and I have played since Kings XI. I would like to go to South Africa and win a series there, we haven't done that before, and hopefully we can do it this time." Mumbai Test's star spinner Ajaz Patel, who became only the third bowler to take ten wickets in an innings, also jumped 23 slots to occupy the 38th position. The New Zealander had started the India series at the 62nd position. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli-led India regain No. 1 spot in ICC Test rankings after series win vs New Zealand Among the teams, Kohli-led India are at the top after the 1-0 series win over World Test champions NZ. The Kiwis, Australia, England and Pakistan follow suit in the top five. India's next Test assignment is versus South Africa, in the African nation, where they will play three Tests and equal number of ODIs. The first Test kicks off on December 26 in Centurion.

ICC Test Rankings: Mayank sees massive jump, R Ashwin narrows gap with No. 1 bowler Pat Cummins

After a long wait, the Ashes 2021/22 finally got off to a start on Wednesday (December 8) at The Gabba, Brisbane. The series was off to a dream start for the Pat Cummins-led hosts as Mitchell Starc got rid of England opener Rory Burns on the first ball of the series.

Starc cleaned up Burns' stumps on the first ball itself as the ball got some late movement and went around the batter's pads to hit the timber. Here's the dismissal which lit up the atmosphere at The Gabba, Brisbane:

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WHAT A WAY TO START THE <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ASHES?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ASHES</a>! <a href="https://t.co/XtaiJ3SKeV">pic.twitter.com/XtaiJ3SKeV</a>
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1468372989993381889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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For the unversed, this became only the second occasion when a wicket fell on the very first delivery of an Ashes series. On December 4 in 1936, England's Stan Worthington was dismissed by Australia's Ernie McCormick on the first ball of Ashes 1936/37. After 82 years, Starc recreated the feat. It is interesting to note that on both occasions the Ashes edition has taken place Down Under (i.e., in Aussies' backyard).

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Talking about Day 1, Cummins led from the front as his 5 for 38,&nbsp;on captaincy debut, rattled England for 146 after Joe Root &amp; Co. decided to bat first in a rain-marred day. The Aussies will come out to bat on the second day and hope to take a mammoth lead over the clueless visitors.

After a long wait, the Ashes 2021/22 finally got off to a start on Wednesday (December 8) at The Gabba, Brisbane. The series was off to a dream start for the Pat Cummins-led hosts as Mitchell Starc got rid of England opener Rory Burns on the first ball of the series.

After a long wait, the Ashes 2021/22 finally got off to a start on Wednesday (December 8) at The Gabba, Brisbane. The series was off to a dream start for the Pat Cummins-led hosts as Mitchell Starc got rid of England opener Rory Burns on the first ball of the series. Starc cleaned up Burns' stumps on the first ball itself as the ball got some late movement and went around the batter's pads to hit the timber. Here's the dismissal which lit up the atmosphere at The Gabba, Brisbane: WHAT A WAY TO START THE #ASHES! pic.twitter.com/XtaiJ3SKeV — cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 8, 2021 × ALSO READ | Ashes 2021: England on back foot after being bowled out for 147 in horror start at The Gabba For the unversed, this became only the second occasion when a wicket fell on the very first delivery of an Ashes series. On December 4 in 1936, England's Stan Worthington was dismissed by Australia's Ernie McCormick on the first ball of Ashes 1936/37. After 82 years, Starc recreated the feat. It is interesting to note that on both occasions the Ashes edition has taken place Down Under (i.e., in Aussies' backyard). ALSO READ | Ashes 2021: Pat Cummins shines on captaincy debut, breaks plethora of records with five-fer vs England Talking about Day 1, Cummins led from the front as his 5 for 38, on captaincy debut, rattled England for 146 after Joe Root & Co. decided to bat first in a rain-marred day. The Aussies will come out to bat on the second day and hope to take a mammoth lead over the clueless visitors.

Starc adds his name to elite list with first-ball dismissal of Rory Burns in Ashes 2021 opener - Watch

An insipid batting display lasting two sessions left England with a lot of catching up to do after a horror start to their Ashes campaign against Australia on Wednesday.

Barring the toss, hardly anything went right for Joe Root's men in the Ashes opener at the Gabba, where they were dismantled for 147 on the opening day with rival captain Pat Cummins (5-38) leading the rout in his first match in charge.

And even Root's decision to bat at a venue where England have not won in 35 years backfired almost as soon as it had been made.

The start could not have been more calamitous for the tourists as Mitchell Starc fired a searing yorker at the base of England opener Rory Burns'&nbsp;leg-stump.

As England`s horror Ashes starts go, it ranks alongside Steve Harmison`s opening delivery of the 2006/7 series, which was so wide it ended up at second slip.

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Getting safely through the first hour is a time-honoured strategy for any batting side but by the sixth over England were already gasping at 11-3.

Root fell for one of the three ducks in the English innings, star all-rounder Ben Stokes'&nbsp;return to action proved a low-key affair, and an overall lack of intent blighted England's batting.

Jos Buttler's counter-attacking 39, while inadequate, provided a template how to thwart Australia's relentless pace attack complemented by their superb catching.

It was a "disappointing start" for the visitors, conceded middle-order batsman Pope, whose 52-run stand with Buttler was the only significant partnership in England innings.

"There was frustration that we haven’t been able to put on that big score that we wanted," Pope said.

"Obviously frustrated as a unit, but we’re not going to get too down.

"It's a long tour, it's a long series. Going to keep our spirits high, come fighting tomorrow."

Even the weather gods appeared against England.

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Rain in Brisbane washed out the final session, denying their pace attack an opportunity to operate on a green-tinged wicket in overcast conditions.

The onus is now on those bowlers to haul England back into the contest, in the absence of paceman Stuart Broad, whose omission surprised many.

England are already without James Anderson through injury and this is the first time in five years that neither has bowled in a test.

"I think we've got the skillset in our bowlers to drag this back," Pope said. "We're going to keep fighting. We don't know how (the wicket) is going to react tomorrow."

An insipid batting display lasting two sessions left England with a lot of catching up to do after a horror start to their Ashes campaign against Australia on Wednesday.

An insipid batting display lasting two sessions left England with a lot of catching up to do after a horror start to their Ashes campaign against Australia on Wednesday. Barring the toss, hardly anything went right for Joe Root's men in the Ashes opener at the Gabba, where they were dismantled for 147 on the opening day with rival captain Pat Cummins (5-38) leading the rout in his first match in charge. And even Root's decision to bat at a venue where England have not won in 35 years backfired almost as soon as it had been made. The start could not have been more calamitous for the tourists as Mitchell Starc fired a searing yorker at the base of England opener Rory Burns' leg-stump. As England`s horror Ashes starts go, it ranks alongside Steve Harmison`s opening delivery of the 2006/7 series, which was so wide it ended up at second slip. ALSO READ: Ashes 2021: Pat Cummins shines on captaincy debut, breaks plethora of records with five-fer vs England Getting safely through the first hour is a time-honoured strategy for any batting side but by the sixth over England were already gasping at 11-3. Root fell for one of the three ducks in the English innings, star all-rounder Ben Stokes' return to action proved a low-key affair, and an overall lack of intent blighted England's batting. Jos Buttler's counter-attacking 39, while inadequate, provided a template how to thwart Australia's relentless pace attack complemented by their superb catching. It was a "disappointing start" for the visitors, conceded middle-order batsman Pope, whose 52-run stand with Buttler was the only significant partnership in England innings. "There was frustration that we haven’t been able to put on that big score that we wanted," Pope said. "Obviously frustrated as a unit, but we’re not going to get too down. "It's a long tour, it's a long series. Going to keep our spirits high, come fighting tomorrow." Even the weather gods appeared against England. ALSO READ | Ben Stokes remembers late father ahead of Ashes opener: You will be with me this whole week Rain in Brisbane washed out the final session, denying their pace attack an opportunity to operate on a green-tinged wicket in overcast conditions. The onus is now on those bowlers to haul England back into the contest, in the absence of paceman Stuart Broad, whose omission surprised many. England are already without James Anderson through injury and this is the first time in five years that neither has bowled in a test. "I think we've got the skillset in our bowlers to drag this back," Pope said. "We're going to keep fighting. We don't know how (the wicket) is going to react tomorrow."

Ashes 2021: England on back foot after being bowled out for 147 in horror start at The Gabba

After Tim Paine's untimely resignation as Australia's Test captain, in the aftermath of the sexting scandal, Pat Cummins was appointed as his successor ahead of Ashes 2021/22. Not often do we see fast bowlers being appointed as the captain, purely because it adds to their workload, however, the No. 1 Test bowler Cummins exceeded expectations on his first day as captain with a five-fer in the first Ashes Test at The Gabba, Brisbane on Wednesday (December 8).

Opting to bat first, the Joe Root-led England were off to a disastrous start with Rory Burns clean bowled by Mitchell Starc on the first ball itself. Cummins then dismissed the likes of Haseeb Hameed (25), Ben Stokes (5), Chris Woakes (21), Ollie Robinson (0) and Mark Wood (8) to put his team on top. He returned with 5 for 38 in 13.1 over as England were bowled out for 147 runs in the first innings. Rain interruption, however, led to an early stump on Day 1 without Aussies coming out to bat.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2021-22-full-schedule-squads-venues-telecast-live-streaming-as-aus-eng-resume-intense-rivalry-434803">Ashes 2021-22: Full schedule, squads, venues, telecast, live streaming as Aus-Eng resume intense rivalry</a>

Here's a look at some of the records broken by Cummins on debut as Aussie Test captain:

With a dream start, Cummins became only the second Australian captain, after George Giffen in 1984, to pick a 5-wicket haul in the first Test as skipper.&nbsp;

In addition, the right-arm pacer joined an elite list of captains, featuring legendary Pakistani skipper Imran Khan, to have claimed a five-wicket haul on his first day as captain. For the unversed, the likes of Charles Aubrey Smith,&nbsp;George Allen and Khan are the first three cricketers to achieve the landmark.

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Bowlers to take a 5-for on 1st day as Test captain: 
5-19 CA Smith Eng v SA Port Elizabeth 1889 
5-35 GOB Allen Eng v Ind Lord's 1936 
7-52 Imran Khan Pak v Eng Birmingham 1982 
5-38 PJ Cummins Aus v Eng Brisbane 2021
— Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) <a href="https://twitter.com/AWSStats/status/1468442300871286785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ben-stokes-remembers-late-father-ahead-of-ashes-opener-you-will-be-with-me-this-whole-week-434931">Ben Stokes remembers late father ahead of Ashes opener: You will be with me this whole week</a>

With England firmly on the back foot, they will need a herculean effort from their bowlers, sans James Anderson and Stuart Broad, to comeback in the first Test. Australia, on the other hand, will look to weather the storm in the first session on Day 2 and then try to go past England's first-innings score in a flash.&nbsp;

With a splendid effort on the opening day, Cummins will hope to lead his side to a big win in his first Test as captain during the Ashes 2021 opener.

After Tim Paine's untimely resignation as Australia's Test captain, in the aftermath of the sexting scandal, Pat Cummins was appointed as his successor ahead of Ashes 2021/22.

After Tim Paine's untimely resignation as Australia's Test captain, in the aftermath of the sexting scandal, Pat Cummins was appointed as his successor ahead of Ashes 2021/22. Not often do we see fast bowlers being appointed as the captain, purely because it adds to their workload, however, the No. 1 Test bowler Cummins exceeded expectations on his first day as captain with a five-fer in the first Ashes Test at The Gabba, Brisbane on Wednesday (December 8). Opting to bat first, the Joe Root-led England were off to a disastrous start with Rory Burns clean bowled by Mitchell Starc on the first ball itself. Cummins then dismissed the likes of Haseeb Hameed (25), Ben Stokes (5), Chris Woakes (21), Ollie Robinson (0) and Mark Wood (8) to put his team on top. He returned with 5 for 38 in 13.1 over as England were bowled out for 147 runs in the first innings. Rain interruption, however, led to an early stump on Day 1 without Aussies coming out to bat. ALSO READ | Ashes 2021-22: Full schedule, squads, venues, telecast, live streaming as Aus-Eng resume intense rivalry Here's a look at some of the records broken by Cummins on debut as Aussie Test captain: With a dream start, Cummins became only the second Australian captain, after George Giffen in 1984, to pick a 5-wicket haul in the first Test as skipper. In addition, the right-arm pacer joined an elite list of captains, featuring legendary Pakistani skipper Imran Khan, to have claimed a five-wicket haul on his first day as captain. For the unversed, the likes of Charles Aubrey Smith, George Allen and Khan are the first three cricketers to achieve the landmark. Bowlers to take a 5-for on 1st day as Test captain: 5-19 CA Smith Eng v SA Port Elizabeth 1889 5-35 GOB Allen Eng v Ind Lord's 1936 7-52 Imran Khan Pak v Eng Birmingham 1982 5-38 PJ Cummins Aus v Eng Brisbane 2021 — Andrew Samson (@AWSStats) December 8, 2021 × ALSO READ | Ben Stokes remembers late father ahead of Ashes opener: You will be with me this whole week With England firmly on the back foot, they will need a herculean effort from their bowlers, sans James Anderson and Stuart Broad, to comeback in the first Test. Australia, on the other hand, will look to weather the storm in the first session on Day 2 and then try to go past England's first-innings score in a flash. With a splendid effort on the opening day, Cummins will hope to lead his side to a big win in his first Test as captain during the Ashes 2021 opener.

Ashes 2021: Pat Cummins shines on captaincy debut, breaks plethora of records with five-fer vs England

England all-rounder Ben Stokes shared a heartfelt note on Instagram remembering his late father ahead of the start of Ashes 2021-2022 against Australia. Ashes rivals Australia and England will lock horns in the first Test of the series at The Gabba from December 08 (Wednesday).

Stokes, who will be making a comeback after a long break, will be in action in the series-opener. The England all-rounder had taken an indefinite break from all forms of cricket earlier this year due to focus on his mental health and well being. However, he is now&nbsp;ready to return to the 24 yards.

Stokes lost his father Ged Stokes last year. He passed away on December 08 after a long battle with brain cancer at the age of 65. Posting a picture with his father, Stokes said he will be remembering him as he takes the field in the first Test against the Aussies.

"I wasn't sure if I would ever walk out onto a field ever again a few months ago, I find it amazing that when I do walk out tomorrow I'll be remembering you exactly 1 year on since you left us....You are gonna be with me this whole week," Stokes wrote in his Instagram post.

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Stokes missed a few important series after announcing a break from cricket. He was last seen in action during the ODI series against Pakistan at home following which he announced his decision. He missed the T20 World Cup 2021 where England bowed out from the semi-finals after losing against New Zealand.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2021-22-full-schedule-squads-venues-telecast-live-streaming-as-aus-eng-resume-intense-rivalry-434803">Ashes 2021-22: Full schedule, squads, venues, telecast, live streaming as Aus-Eng resume intense rivalry</a>

All eyes will be on the star all-rounder as he gears up to make his comeback. England have already announced their 12-man squad for the Ashes opener at The Gabba with Stokes part of it. Joe Root will be leading the visitors while veteran pacer James Anderson has been rested.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes shared a heartfelt note on Instagram remembering his late father ahead of the start of Ashes 2021-2022 against Australia. Ashes rivals Australia and England will lock horns in the first Test of the series at The Gabba from December 08 (Wednesday).

England all-rounder Ben Stokes shared a heartfelt note on Instagram remembering his late father ahead of the start of Ashes 2021-2022 against Australia. Ashes rivals Australia and England will lock horns in the first Test of the series at The Gabba from December 08 (Wednesday). Stokes, who will be making a comeback after a long break, will be in action in the series-opener. The England all-rounder had taken an indefinite break from all forms of cricket earlier this year due to focus on his mental health and well being. However, he is now ready to return to the 24 yards. Stokes lost his father Ged Stokes last year. He passed away on December 08 after a long battle with brain cancer at the age of 65. Posting a picture with his father, Stokes said he will be remembering him as he takes the field in the first Test against the Aussies. "I wasn't sure if I would ever walk out onto a field ever again a few months ago, I find it amazing that when I do walk out tomorrow I'll be remembering you exactly 1 year on since you left us....You are gonna be with me this whole week," Stokes wrote in his Instagram post. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ben Stokes (@stokesy) × Stokes missed a few important series after announcing a break from cricket. He was last seen in action during the ODI series against Pakistan at home following which he announced his decision. He missed the T20 World Cup 2021 where England bowed out from the semi-finals after losing against New Zealand. Also Read: Ashes 2021-22: Full schedule, squads, venues, telecast, live streaming as Aus-Eng resume intense rivalry All eyes will be on the star all-rounder as he gears up to make his comeback. England have already announced their 12-man squad for the Ashes opener at The Gabba with Stokes part of it. Joe Root will be leading the visitors while veteran pacer James Anderson has been rested.

Ben Stokes remembers late father ahead of Ashes opener: You will be with me this whole week

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