You also need to score massive runs: Hussain on batting in the Ashes

London : Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes that England need to score massive runs in the Ashes in Australia later in the year. He also said that scores of 300 can work in England, but not in Australia. England haven’t won an Ashes series on Australian soil since the 3-1 win in 2010/11.

“You also need to score massive runs. In England, if you get 300 in the first innings, you are probably in the game. Get that score in Australia and you’re going to lose. It means the batting line-up has to churn out big runs and not leave the scoring to Root,” wrote Hussain in his column for Daily Mail on Monday.

Hussain thinks captain Joe Root, who is the top run-scorer in Test cricket this year with 1455 runs from 23 innings, will be eager to get his first century in the format in Australia apart from youngsters Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley.

“The England captain will want to contribute as a batter, of course, and is yet to score a Test hundred in Australia. But they have also backed younger players including Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley. Now is the time for them to deliver.”

Talking further about Crawley, Hussain said, “Australia is a brilliant place to bat. I never went on an Ashes tour worried about that side of things. England have a real belief in Crawley but his statistics, aside from his remarkable double hundred against Pakistan a couple of years ago, don’t back it up. He has a mediocre record for county and country. Yet if anyone had seen that big innings in isolation, they would have recognised his potential.”

The 53-year-old concluded by saying that if they need other players, England will not be scared of drafting players from the England Lions team, who will be in Australia at the same time as the men’s team for the Ashes.

“And potential is something Root will be able to call upon during the 11-week trip. Tours are not as rigid as they used to be and if the team management feel they need something different, such as Saqib, Parkinson or a different opener, they shouldn’t be afraid to draft in a player from the concurrent England Lions tour.”