England’s top-order struggles in Australia show no signs of easing, with another early collapse at the Gabba extending a miserable three-year trend.
Since the 2021–22 Ashes tour, England’s first-innings opening partnerships in Australia have been:
0, 7, 4, 22, 2, 0, 5
Not once in this period have England’s openers managed to cross even 23 runs in the first innings of a Test on Australian soil — a damning indicator of their prolonged issues against the new ball.
The latest failure, a wicket in the very first over followed by another in the third, continues the pattern that has repeatedly left England’s middle order exposed far too early.
With conditions at the Gabba and Mitchell Starc in pink-ball form, England’s top-order drought has now become one of the biggest barriers to competitiveness in Australia.
