England skipper Joe Root had to bat through a tough spell of bowling from Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood as both the pacers challenged him around the off stump line. They have dismissed him on numerous occasions in the same channel and Mitchell Starc has hinted of a “blueprint” that the Aussies are working with against Root.
Although Starc took a wicket on the very first ball of the game to give England a major jolt in the form of Rory Burns’ wicket, as soon as Josh Hazlewood dismissed Dawid Malan, Australian skipper Cummins replaced the left armer with himself and bowled in tandem with Hazlewood against the England skipper.
Root was found wanting against the back of a length around his off stump as after getting beaten on both inside and outside edge, he edged one that nipped away off the seam to take the edge of his bat. Starc said that both Cummins and Hazlewood are coming fully prepared into this Ashes series bases on their mode of success against Root in the 2019 Ashes series in England.
"Josh and Pat have brought that blueprint from the previous Ashes, where they seemed to have their plans down pat to Joe. It's fantastic to get off to the start we did and have him for nothing," Starc said the hoast broadcaster Seven during the rain delay.
“Hopefully that continues throughout the series, but those two have carried that blueprint on from four or five Tests in England to now at the Gabba. To stay on top of the opposition captain is a big one and we've certainly started off in that fashion today.”
England were bundled out for 147 runs in their first innings as Hazlewood dismissed Root for ninth time, most by any bowler in the longest format of the game.