Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has expressed his opinion on including veteran pacer James Anderson in the playing XI for the third Test of the ongoing Ashes 2023 series. Pietersen believes Anderson should be rested following his underwhelming performances in the first two Tests. The 40-year-old pacer has struggled to make an impact, with modest bowling figures of 1/53, 0/56, 1/53, and 1/64 in the first two matches at Edgbaston and Lord’s.
In his column for Betway, Pietersen suggested that bringing in Mark Wood would provide the team with an express pace option. He also expressed hope for the return of Moeen Ali, who has recovered from a finger injury. Pietersen suggested that Anderson could be reintroduced to the playing XI for the fourth Test at Old Trafford, his home ground.
“I’d rest Anderson for this Test match seeing as these first two matches haven’t gone well, and I’d bring him back for Old Trafford, his home ground. They’ve got to get Mark Wood into this team. They need some pace. And hopefully, Moeen Ali’s finger is okay, so he will come in,” he said.
Pietersen emphasized the need for England players to focus on their on-field performance rather than making bold claims in press conferences. He expressed his trust in Ben Stokes but urged the English skipper to deliver results in England’s favor throughout the series.
Pietersen also urged the team to avoid making “crazy decisions” and praised Stokes for his impressive innings at Lord’s, where he scored a sensational 150 runs. Pietersen believes that Stokes’ innings covered up some of the team’s weaknesses, but they need to address these issues to win the third Test.
“Stokes has said, ‘We’ve beaten teams 3-0 before, and we want to do that again,’ and I believe him. He’s that kind of person. I believe every single word that he says. But they need to win the next three Test matches on the cricket field and not in the media. I’d be very happy if none of them do a press conference before they turn up on Thursday, and they just go out and play cricket,” Kevin Pietersen said.
Despite Australia’s victories in the first two Tests, Pietersen remains optimistic about England’s chances in the upcoming match at Headingley in Leeds. He urged the team to follow their leader and play determinedly to return to the series.
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“I can see England winning this Test and getting back into the series, but they have to stop making crazy decisions, and they have to follow their leader. Ben Stokes was brilliant at Lord’s. If it wasn’t for that 150, they could have been 100 all out. His innings papered over a lot of the cracks,” Kevin Pietersen said.
The third Test of the Ashes series is set to be played from July 6th to 10th. England will aim to bounce back from their 2-0 deficit and close the gap in the series against the Australians.
