Melbourne, Nov 11 (NationPress) Former England captain Ian Botham has voiced his concerns regarding England’s choice to conduct only one intra-squad warm-up before the Ashes. He believes the team requires additional red-ball practice in Australian conditions and more time to adjust to local audiences.

As the last group of players arrives in Perth just two weeks prior to the first Test on November 21, England will play the Lions on Thursday in their only preparation match ahead of the series.

“Well, it’s not the way I would prepare,” he remarked during a press event in Melbourne on Tuesday, where he announced a ticket lottery for the 150th anniversary Test at the MCG in 2027.

In the 2021 Ashes, England engaged in two intra-squad matches in Brisbane, while the 2017 tour included four matches against local teams. Yet, they failed to secure a victory in either series. Despite the trend of shorter build-ups under Brendan McCullum, Botham recently described this tour’s limited schedule as “bordering on arrogance.”

“Historically, you must acclimatize when you come down here,” he stated on Tuesday. “You’ve got to remember there are twenty-four and a half million people you’re playing against.”

With Australia’s population nearing 28 million, only one player will get the opportunity to open alongside Usman Khawaja. Botham asserted that Marnus Labuschagne should not be that selection, emphasizing that whoever the selectors choose must be informed well ahead of time to prepare adequately.

“The longer they delay announcing who will be opening, the better it is for the bowlers,” he added. “You need to establish players at the top, and I would position Labuschagne at three.”

Former Australia captain Greg Chappell believes selectors should opt for a specialist opener to pair with Khawaja. “I hope the authorities are aware of who their first-choice opener alongside Khawaja is because I think it’s a critical role, and it has always been significant,” he remarked.

Specialist opener Jake Weatherald has secured a spot in Australia’s squad but has yet to be confirmed in the playing XI for the Perth Test.

Chief selector George Bailey recently indicated that No. 3 batters, including Marnus Labuschagne, possess the “ability” to step up as openers—a viewpoint that Ian Chappell openly contested.

“Opening is a role that you need to genuinely want to do, and most openers are quite passionate about taking the crease first,” he said.

“It’s not simply a matter of choosing our No. 3 batsman to open, as Ian Chappell batted No. 3 for Australia, and so did Ricky Ponting. I’m not convinced they would have excelled as openers since it wasn’t their primary passion,” Chappell concluded.