England play into Australia’s hands in more ways than one

It turns out that Joe Root may well have made his first two mistakes of this Ashes series before a ball was even bowled.

Visiting England captains to The Gabba are still haunted - nearly 20 years on - by Nasser Hussain's decision to bowl first back in 2002, when, after sticking Australia in, he could only watch as they romped away to 364 for two on their way to another series win.

Maybe Nasser's rogue call was in the back of Root's mind then when, having seen the coin come up his way, he opted to bat first on a green top in helpful overhead conditions against one of the best bowling attacks in the game.

Perhaps opener Rory Burns appraised him of his error when, just a matter of minutes later, he returned to the pavilion to sit back alongside his skipper having been bowled by Mitchell Starc by the very first ball of the series.

Not since 1936 has a player succumbed to the very first delivery of this famous cricketing contest and, as any long-suffering England fan would surely attest, it is hard not to fear that the visitors' chances over the next few weeks weren't neatly and fatefully encapsulated by Burns' failed one-ball cameo here.

It wouldn't get any better as first Dawid Malan and then the captain himself were removed in short order, Root for an unceremonious and hardly morale-boosting duck - a scarcely-believable 46th by this side this year.

The returning Ben Stokes soon followed having added just five and the score was, as it has been so many times before with this top order, four down for not many.

Haseeb Hameed (25), Ollie Pope (35) and Jos Buttler (39) all showed some admirable signs of life in response but alongside Chris Woakes (21) were the only batters to reach double figures.

New Australian captain Pat Cummins swept through the tail in fine fashion for a five-for, condemning England to 147 all out - a lowest opening salvo of an Ashes series since 1958.

147 is a fine score in snooker, of course. Batting first in an Ashes series on foreign soil, it is not.

It is a grimly predictable scene for England and while a pandemic and rain-affected build-up can be blamed for a degree of undercooked-ness, it can't fully explain yet another inescapably bad batting performance characterised by poor technique and even worse decision-making.

Root's own decision to stack his side's clear weakness against Australia's strength straight out the gate will be questioned long after this one, whether England manage to drag themselves back into this first Test or not.

If his first decision of this series is already looking shaky, his second call, to leave more 1,000 Test wickets in the shed for this first tilt, is another.

James Anderson had already been rested for the first Test with conditions in Adelaide next time out expected to favour his swing-bowling prowess far better than Brisbane.

To look after the body of a 39-year-old with a history of breaking down in Ashes series is not an egregious call to make, even if, despite his advancing years, he remains this side's most reliable weapon.

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To then leave running mate Stuart Broad out as well is one that could prove far more costly.

It is the first time since 2016 that this English generation's most famous and feared bowling duo have both missed out on selection at the same time and while it offers a - largely grim - look at what's to come after their storied careers are over, it has repercussions in the here and now too.

Fresh from their latest batting collapse, England are now left chasing this game and in need of taking 20 wickets are set to try and get them without two of the best to ever do it.

Jack Leach's spin may yet prove key if Australia are forced to bat last on this pitch, but it's hard not to believe the hosts weren't delighted not to see Broad or Anderson lined up against them for this opening meeting.

While there are obviously reasons behind Broad's omission, as a general and rudimentary rule you should always try and do what the opposition doesn't want you to do. This call, coupled with Root's decision at the toss, feels like it plays into Australian hands.

As we have seen, England's batting has done plenty of that already.