Ashes 2023: England forced to change game plan for Lord's Test, says Australia's Tim Paine

Paine anticipates adjustments to England's game plan as Lord's prepares a green wicket for the Ashes 2023 series and also comments on Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum

Tim Paine, the former captain of the Australian Test team, believes that England does not possess enough strength in their squad to match up against Pat Cummins and his teammates in the ongoing Ashes series. He further stated that the visiting team will improve progressively with each game. In the first match of the five-match Test series, Australia secured a thrilling two-wicket victory over England on a relatively uneventful Edgbaston pitch, giving them a 1-0 lead.

"I think the Aussies played ok in the first Test, I think we've got a lot of improvement in us. I'm not sure the Poms have got the depth to go with us," said Paine 

"We heard pre-series that they wanted hard and flat wickets. They got that in the first Test and it didn't quite pan out."

According to Paine, England's captain Ben Stokes had expressed a desire for aggressive style of play prior to the series. However, following their defeat in Birmingham, it appears that the hosts could have a change in game strategy. Paine states that a green wicket has been prepared for the second Test at Lord's, indicating a shift in England's approach.

"If you look at tonight's pitch, it looks like everyone's backyard in Australia, so it's going to be interesting. They're obviously trying to bring (Stuart) Broad and (James) Anderson back into the Test match. They didn't have much of an impact (in Birmingham)."

Paine also commented that both Stokes and McCullum possess big egos. He also feels that their inclination towards playing an entertaining and aggressive brand of cricket can occasionally hinder their decision-making.

"It's been interesting and really fascinating to watch when you've got a captain (Stokes) and a coach (McCullum) who are really similar. They've both kind of got pretty big egos, they're both very aggressive, and always wanting to move the game forward.

"The brand they're trying to play is excellent, it's great to watch. I think at times it goes over into their decision making, we saw with the declaration (in the first innings) and some of the things they did during that Test match," he said.

"At times you've just got to use some cricket smarts and know when to put the foot on the accelerator and when to absorb some pressure," he added.