As England get ready to take on a tough Australian team in the next Ashes, Joe Root is looking like the main man. To try and contain him, the Australian players, media, and fans have already started working on their game plans even though the series is yet to commence.
It is clear from the statement of Scott Boland, the Australian fast bowler, that Root is the batter they want to silence most in the series. He pointed out that the main emphasis of the Aussies would be on cutting down the impact of the best England players, particularly their top scorer.
Scott Boland reflects on his plans and past success
“You always want to take down the best players. In the past when Joe Root has been captain, you want to try to make sure they have as little impact as you can. England has quite a few good batters; we'll be looking to do that too. Hopefully we can keep Joe Root and the guys in the middle order pretty quiet,” Boland said, as reported by BCC Sport.
The pacer has dismissed Root four times during England’s previous tour of Australia and will be eager to maintain that dominance, knowing that restricting Root gives Australia a stronger chance of retaining the Ashes urn.
Boland enjoyed a breakout debut season in the 2021 Ashes, producing remarkable figures of six wickets for seven runs in Melbourne and finishing the series with 18 wickets in three matches at an average of just 9.55. However, his next Ashes outing in England was far less fruitful, yielding only two wickets. Reflecting on that tour, he said he now has a clearer understanding of the adjustments he needs to make.
“I learned a lot. I've reflected on that tour a fair bit. There will be tweaks to my game plan for what I want to do, but I don't think I need to change too much. I just need to execute a bit better,” he added.
Although originally expected to serve as a backup in Australia’s squad, Boland is now likely to feature in the first Test in Perth on November 21, with Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins sidelined due to injuries.
