Top 3 Player Battles to Watch at Edgbaston: England will enter the third and final Test match at Edgbaston on September 9 with an unassailable 2-0 lead. Following an innings victory at Headingley and a magnificent 194-run win at Lord’s, the hosts will take the field aiming for a series clean sweep. On the other hand, this Birmingham clash will be the final opportunity for Pakistan to salvage some pride.
The outcome of this crucial encounter will largely depend on the individual battles played out on the field. Let’s take a look at the top 3 player battles of the third Test:
3. Abdullah Shafique vs Ollie Robinson
Pakistan’s opening batsman Abdullah Shafique has shown good fight by scoring 81 runs in the series, but England pacer Ollie Robinson has completely dominated him. Robinson, who has claimed 16 wickets this summer, has dismissed Shafique three times in four innings.
To counter Robinson’s precise line and length with the new ball, Shafique will need to make technical adjustments to his stance and wisely leave deliveries moving away outside the off-stump.
2. Babar Azam vs Jofra Archer
After missing the first Test due to injury, Pakistan captain Babar Azam’s form has been a cause for concern—he has managed only 14 runs across two innings. At Edgbaston, he faces his toughest challenge yet against England’s most dangerous fast bowler, Jofra Archer.
Archer has already taken 8 wickets in two Tests and dismissed Babar during the second innings at Lord’s. Babar’s ability to handle Archer’s searing pace and aggressive short-pitched bowling will determine the fate of Pakistan’s top order.
1. Joe Root vs Mohammad Abbas
England’s key batsman Joe Root has scored 94 runs in the series so far, but he has appeared to struggle against incoming deliveries and has been dismissed LBW on several occasions.
Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker, Mohammad Abbas (10 wickets), has proven to be the biggest threat to Root; Abbas also dismissed him LBW during the second Test. Abbas’s ability to bowl consistently accurate deliveries on the ‘fourth-stump line’ will once again put Root’s defensive technique to a stern test.
Also Read: MS Dhoni vs Virat Kohli: Sanjay Bangar Names India’s Best Test Captain
