Exclusive: England’s Pace Bowling Faces Big Questions Ahead of Ashes, says Iconic Commentator

There are still two months before the much-anticipated Ashes, but England are already sweating over the seam bowling attack. 

Mark Wood’s recovery has no clear timeline, while Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes may not feature in all five Tests to manage their workload. 

That leaves the touring party with Gus Atkinson, almost a certainty for the flight to Australia, along with Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue, none of whom have played in Australia before.

Wood, sidelined since February with a left knee injury that required surgery to repair ligament damage, had initially targeted a September return for Durham in the County Championship. 

However, as things stand, his earliest comeback may now be during England’s white-ball tour of New Zealand in October.

Seam bowling all-rounder and captain Stokes has resumed training this month after sustaining a shoulder injury in the Manchester Test against India in July. He has been hitting the balls in the net, but the bowling fitness may need more time.

A big question mark

Former English cricketer-turned-broadcaster and a pundit, Alan Wilkins, highlighted the void in the bowling department leading up to the Ashes starting November 21 in Perth, and how the selectors will have to be smart in choosing the players. 

"There is a big question mark over the England attack because of the fitness factor. They are still waiting on Wood’s fitness. Archer [who has had a history of back and elbow injuries] is clearly a liability, and I can’t see how he could play all five Tests."

"They will have to rotate the players to get the maximum contribution. Stokes has to be fit as he is an integral part of the bowling lineup. If Stokes doesn't bowl, England will lack a dimension in the bowling. There is a question mark on England’s bowling strength due to the litany of injuries they have had in recent times, and the Ashes is going to be a long Test tour of five matches," he told SportsBoom.co.uk. 

The England speedsters put up a decent show against India at home with Tongue [19 wickets in three Tests], and Stokes [17 in four] ruling the roost. Wilkins reasoned that Australia would be a different ball game. 

“It is different performing on the harder pitches in Australia, where the lengths change and more pace is required amid the heat.”

The Stokes factor

Stokes bowled probing spells against India and created breakthroughs when the team needed.

With 19 wickets in nine Tests in Australia at an economy of 4.31, he could help the inexperienced pacers find the wicket-taking length. 

“He will have to be the bowler who could come in and bowl a telling spell; also to relieve bowlers like Wood and Archer, assuming they are fit."

“He is an attacking bowler with an ability to change the length, which is required in Australia, and he has to be a little bit shorter. He has stamina, but if looking at longevity over a five-Test series, he must be mindful of how he manages his body while leading England. Stokes is all about fitness. His knees have been subject to wear and tear in recent times. In my view, he won’t be bowling long stints,” added Wilkins, who represented Glamorgan and Gloucestershire and has 243 first-class wickets and 130 List A wickets.

Joe Root: Chasing the ton

Amid the gloom, the one bright spot for England has been the form of Joe Root. The talismanic right-hander has already amassed 571 runs in six Tests this year, including three centuries and a fifty. He’ll be eager to score that elusive Ashes hundred on Australian soil. 

“Root hasn’t got a Test century in an Ashes series in Australia. I think that will be the driving motivation for Root. He is arguably the best Test player in the world. He has been the focal point and an absolute motivation for England’s batting in the past few years. His numbers get better and better. He still has hunger and wants to perform. There is no suggestion that he is getting tired or fed up. He has even been playing all formats, T20, ODI, and The Hundred."

"Root still loves batting, and he is important as the flag-bearer of this England team. When Root gets runs, England look like a different team. I have no doubt he will get his long-awaited hundred in an Ashes series in Australia. He is completely on top of his game right now. This is the best part of his career, and his numbers in recent years will testify to that," said Wilkins.

England haven't won the Ashes since the 2015 victory at home, and the last two times they were in Australia, they were hammered 0-4. They have reasons to sweat over the combination this time around.