Stuart Broad Feels Hierarchical Change Might Put Ben Stokes Captaincy At Risk: 'If Rob Key Loses His Position...'

England might have reduced the deficit with a historic win at Melbourne. But the Ashes loss has remained a huge thorn for England cricket, and calls to make some changes have already been made.

Stuart Broad Backs England Management

England ended their long 15-year wait for a Test victory on Australian soil as the visitors showed exemplary skills on the pitch. But this came in a lost cause as Australia had already secured the urn with an unassailable 3-0 lead. England cricket managing director Rob Key, captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have been under the scanner and England will try to recover some of their lost glory in the last match at SCG.

Stuart Broad feels removing Rob Key could have an adverse effect, which might put Ben Stokes's captaincy in danger.

Broad told the Sky Sports Cricket podcast, “100 per cent [Stokes is the man for me].

“I'm concerned of a domino effect if Rob Key loses his position, then Baz [McCullum] would say, well, I don't need the job, he gave me the job, I'm going. And then Stokes would go, well, if Baz is my man, I'm then going. I've been nervous of that.”

MCG PItch Receives Unsatisfactory Rating From ICC

The Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch has received an unsatisfactory rating from the International Cricket Council (ICC) after the Boxing Day Test finished in just two days. 20 wickets fell in the first day as pacers unleashed powerpacked display on a spicy MCG surface.

Match referee Jeff Crowe was in charge of submitting a report to ICC and as per the official website, he has rated the pitch as “Unsatisfactory” as it favoured the bowlers too much. “The MCG pitch was too much in favour of the bowlers. With 20 wickets falling on the first day, 16 on the second day and no batter even reaching a half-century, the pitch was ‘Unsatisfactory’ as per the guidelines and the venue gets one demerit point.”

The last Test match will start on January 4.

Also Read: Melbourne Pitch Receives 'Unsatisfactory' Rating From ICC After Boxing Day Test Finishes In Just Two Days