The result means that the Ashes urn will be headed back to Australia after this series ends. The Ben Stokes-led side were in a dominant position for the majority of the match but were denied a crack at victory due to rain not allowing any play to happen on Day Five. It’s also the first time that England have played a draw under Stokes’ leadership.
England will now be hoping to win the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval and push for a 2-2 draw to end the series on a high. Australia, after being on the backfoot at Manchester, will now have a chance to go for a series win in England for the first time since 2001.
If England does consider making changes to their playing eleven, fast bowlers Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue may come into consideration. The Test at The Oval could also mark the final Ashes Test for veterans James Anderson, Stuart Broad, and Moeen Ali at home, as the next series will be played in Australia in 2025-26.
England squad: Ben Stokes (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, and Mark Wood
–Ajit Weekly News
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