Zak Crawley, England's beleaguered opening batsman, has struggled to regain his form in the first Test against Australia. Despite an average of 30.96 - the lowest of any opener to play over 60 Tests - Crawley remains a key figure in the England batting lineup.
The reasoning behind his continued selection may seem counterintuitive, but it's rooted in Crawley's impressive record against high pace and his ability to score runs off the top of the bounce, an edge that Australia's bouncy pitches have brought out. His average of 46.50 when driving deliveries at a height of 80-90cm is particularly noteworthy.
However, there are growing concerns about Crawley's form, particularly against high pace. His career average has dropped to 48.25, and he averages just 6 runs per dismissal against fast bowlers like Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. In contrast, Joe Root averages significantly more against Cummins and Hazlewood.
Crawley's struggles have led some to question whether he is the right man for the job in Australia, where his record has always been patchy. His average of 20.75 in this series so far only adds fuel to the fire.
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell believes that Crawley may be thinking too much about making a statement with big shots, rather than playing more patiently and allowing his footwork to do the talking. This approach could be key to helping Crawley rediscover his form and make a meaningful contribution to England's Ashes campaign.
For now, though, Crawley will continue to be given the chance to redeem himself against Australia, despite some serious doubts about his ability to score consistently in this series. With England facing a long and challenging road ahead, it remains to be seen whether they can get Crawley back on track before it's too late.
The reasoning behind his continued selection may seem counterintuitive, but it's rooted in Crawley's impressive record against high pace and his ability to score runs off the top of the bounce, an edge that Australia's bouncy pitches have brought out. His average of 46.50 when driving deliveries at a height of 80-90cm is particularly noteworthy.
However, there are growing concerns about Crawley's form, particularly against high pace. His career average has dropped to 48.25, and he averages just 6 runs per dismissal against fast bowlers like Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. In contrast, Joe Root averages significantly more against Cummins and Hazlewood.
Crawley's struggles have led some to question whether he is the right man for the job in Australia, where his record has always been patchy. His average of 20.75 in this series so far only adds fuel to the fire.
Former Australia captain Ian Chappell believes that Crawley may be thinking too much about making a statement with big shots, rather than playing more patiently and allowing his footwork to do the talking. This approach could be key to helping Crawley rediscover his form and make a meaningful contribution to England's Ashes campaign.
For now, though, Crawley will continue to be given the chance to redeem himself against Australia, despite some serious doubts about his ability to score consistently in this series. With England facing a long and challenging road ahead, it remains to be seen whether they can get Crawley back on track before it's too late.
But at the same time, 30.96 is like, really low for an opener... what if they just play him a bit more defensively and let his footwork do all the work? 
I'm not saying it's gonna be easy, but if he can just chill out and trust his game, maybe he'll start scoring those big runs again... 
! Yeah I know his form has been off lately, but he's still got that magic against high pace and top of the bounce, right? 
And let's be real, 20.75 in this series isn't the end of the world - we've seen him get going before! 
He's been struggling against high pace and its not just one or two players like Cummins & Hazlewood, he's got an overall average of 6 runs vs fast bowlers 
What can we do to help him? Giving him a big role in the Ashes campaign might not be the answer anymore... 
England needs someone who can consistently score runs against Australia 
. The stats just don't lie, and his form against high pace has been super sketchy. I get that he's got some tricks up his sleeve against bouncy pitches, but that doesn't mean he can't learn to play more patiently. Ian Chappell's point about Crawley being too focused on making a statement with big shots is spot on 
️. Maybe Chappell's right, though... maybe Crawley needs to chill out and just let his game do the talking 
. It's all about confidence now, innit? Can Crawley get that back and start scoring some big runs? 
According to ESPN, 75% of batsmen who average under 30 in Test cricket don't recover - England needs a miracle for Crawley to come around! 
With Australia's bouncy pitches, you'd think they'd want a more solid foundation behind the likes of Stokes and Buttler... 
It's gotta be tough for him under all this pressure.
he's got this impressive record against high pace, but can he take that onto the big stage? it's not just about the numbers, it's about the mental game too. maybe crawley needs to trust himself more and let his feet do the talking, like chappell said 
. And maybe having Joe Root around won't hurt either, they've got a good bond going on 
. It's not all doom and gloom for England, they can turn this series around yet 
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It just doesn't make sense to me why England is sticking with him when his form is so erratic 
. Maybe Chappell has a point tho, maybe Crawley needs to play more patiently and let his footwork do the talking 
. But for now, I'm just sitting here wondering if he's still got it 
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. Can't wait to see how he bounces back (pun intended) from this series!