Ashes 2023: Jason Gillespie offers strategic insights to counter England's aggressive batting
By Ovaise Shariff | First Published Jun 29, 2023, 2:44 PM ISTFormer Australian pacer, Jason Gillespie proposes fine-tuning Australia's strategy to counter England's aggression
Renowned former Australian fast bowler, Jason Gillespie, shares his insights on countering England's aggressive batting approach in the Ashes and proposes a specific strategy for the Australian team. Gillespie emphasises the importance of preventing singles and encouraging the English batters to target the offside, thereby increasing the likelihood of creating wicket-taking opportunities.
Gillespie acknowledges the evolving nature of Test cricket and foresees other teams adopting England's successful aggressive batting style, known as Bazball. He finds it exhilarating to witness players like Joe Root employing unconventional shots right from the start.
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To counter England's approach, Gillespie suggests making slight adjustments to Australia's strategy. This includes avoiding an early deep point fielder and restricting singles to create chances for dismissals.
Seamers should focus on bowling a line outside the fourth stump and targeting the top of the stumps, incorporating well-timed bouncers.
In terms of team selection, Gillespie recommends Mitchell Starc to replace Scott Boland at Lord's, considering the surface conditions. He emphasises the importance of managing the workload, indicating that Pat Cummins may rotate himself to allow other capable players to lead. Gillespie also expresses excitement about the verbal exchanges between the teams, as long as celebrations and comments remain controlled.
Gillespie predicts a 3-1 victory for Australia in the series, expressing doubts about the effectiveness of England's seam bowlers, particularly Anderson, and suggesting that they might struggle on batsman-friendly pitches.
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