Joe Root to bat third for England in Ashes opener at Edgbaston

England captain Joe Root will bat at No 3 in the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston according to Sky sources.

Rory Burns and Jason Roy are set to open the batting, as they did in last week’s Test win over Ireland, with Root moving up from his regular position as the No 4 batsman.

Root averages 49.03 in Tests, having scored 6,718 runs in his 81 appearances, but has historically fared better at No 4 in the order.

In 60 innings at No 4, Root has scored 2,736 runs at an average of 48, with seven hundreds, whereas at No 3 he has batted 40 times, scoring 1,538 runs at an average of 40.5, with just two centuries.

However, it appears the England camp feel their top order needs shoring up after the defeat of Ireland at Lord’s.

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