LONDON: England’s preparation for the second Ashes Test is under intense scrutiny following the team’s decision to bypass a crucial pink-ball tour match against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra. The move comes after a crushing defeat within two days in the first Test in Perth, which left an 11-day gap before the next match and highlighted the English batters’ lack of time at the crease.
Despite the batting collapses in Perth, England’s captain Ben Stokes has stood firm on the plan, confirming the first-team players will not participate in the warm-up fixture. Instead, the squad will travel directly to Brisbane to focus on net sessions ahead of the day-night Test at the Gabba, starting on December 4 .
