England make one change for must-win third Ashes Test as Josh Tongue comes in

England make one change for must-win third Ashes Test as Josh Tongue comes in

England have confirmed one change to their XI for the must-win third Ashes Test, starting in Adelaide on Wednesday, with Josh Tongue replacing fellow fast bowler Gus Atkinson.

Atkinson has taken just three wickets from 54 overs in the opening two Test matches of the series at an average of 78.66 as the visitors find themselves 2-0 down.

Tongue is set to earn his seventh Test cap since debuting in the 2023 home season, with 31 dismissals at an average of exactly 30.

The tourists have decided against selecting first-choice slow-bowler Shoaib Bashir on what is expected to be the most spin-friendly pitch of the series with Will Jacks preferred.

England have kept faith with the same batting line-up and vice-captain Harry Brook admits he has to "rein it in a little bit" on the aggressive approach.

"It hasn't been an ideal series," Brook said on Monday. "Sometimes, I've got to rein it in a little bit: learn when to absorb the pressure a little bit more, and realise when the opportunity arises to put the pressure back on them.

"I feel like I haven't done that as well as I usually do. I just haven't identified those situations well enough.

"Most of the time when I've been overly aggressive is when we've lost early wickets and I've tried to counter-punch and put them back under pressure. I tried to do that in Perth in the first innings: I played quite nicely and gloved down the leg side.

"I try to read situations as well as possible, and then it all depends on my execution. And so far [in this series], my execution hasn't been as good as it has been at the start of my career."

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