Ashes: Dawid Malan says England are ‘learning on the job’ in Australia

Dawid Malan described Ashes tours as ‘brutal’ as England prepared to make changes for the crucial third Test at Melbourne on Boxing Day.

Another defeat for Joe Root‘s side will ensure Australia retain the urn with two to play – and keep them on course for a third 5-0 whitewash of England in five home series.

The tourists could make as many as four changes from the side who lost by 275 runs at Adelaide, with Zak Crawley and Jonny Bairstow coming in for Rory Burns and Ollie Pope, who have both averaged 12 in the series.

Dawid Malan described Ashes tours as ‘brutal’ as England prepared for the crucial third Test

Meanwhile, Mark Wood is set to return after sitting out the second Test, and there could be a recall for left-arm spinner Jack Leach, despite the mauling he took in the first Test at the Gabba. Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad could miss out.

Whoever plays, England will need to make history to come from 2-0 to win. It is a feat achieved by only one team – Australia in the 1936-37 Ashes, when they benefited from the runs of Don Bradman.

And Malan, who made 82 at Brisbane and 80 at Adelaide, and is England’s leading runscorer in the series, admitted: ‘It’s brutal and you have to be at your best to win out here. We haven’t been that so far.

Another defeat for Joe Root’s side next week will ensure Australia retain urn with two to play

‘We’ve got a lot of players here, and if there’s a rotation policy at some point to keep people fresh, to get fresh bowlers on track so we can win and bowl teams out, and also get some batters who can contribute and score some runs.

‘The boys are hurting after our performances in the last two games. They realise we haven’t been good enough across all facets of the game. 

‘We’ve had a good couple of chats on how we can get better. We have to play our best cricket to get ourselves back in the series.’

Malan partly ascribed England’s struggles to the inexperience of their team in Australian conditions, saying: ‘We are almost learning on the job in Test matches because a lot of the guys haven’t played in Australia, so they are facing bowlers they’ve never faced before and getting used to the bounce out here – especially at Adelaide and Brisbane.

‘It might be slightly different here. This wicket might be slightly skiddier so we don’t want to go out and leave and get bowled or lbw now.’

Malan, who made 82 at Brisbane and 80 at Adelaide, is England’s leading runscorer in series