December 8 would witness the most extraordinary Test cricket action, as Australia and England lock horns in the 2021-22 Ashes, with the opening Test to be played at The Gabba in Brisbane. Being held in Australia, it is likely that the pacers would be making more impact than the spinners.
Leach’s revelation comes a year after India made a similar impact in Australia, winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year. At the same time, the Indian spinners did give the Aussies a hard time, even on the pace-friendly tracks. In the same light, Leach would be looking to emulate Jadeja, while the latter was the second most impactful spinner after veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
“For years, I’ve watched Nathan Lyon, and he’s very impressive. Just how strong his stock ball is and on wickets that don’t necessarily offer a lot. Spin wise, he’s found ways to extract extra bounce, dip, and all the other things. They’re the kind of things that I’ve been trying to add in but still sticking to my strengths as well,” he added.
Leach impacted the bat in his last Ashes, helping the side earn a pivotal win at Headingley. It was his 76-run partnership with all-rounder Ben Stokes that turned out to be a match-winning stand. Although Leach scored just a run off 17 balls, his effort was mightly acclaimed, allowing Stokes to play his game.