NOW IS TIME FOR A ROOT & BRANCH REVIEW

WHEN three-quarters of Australia’s top four were banned after the infamous ball-tampering affair in March, the news was met with amusement in England.

Captain Steve Smith and vice-captain David Warner were slapped with one-year bans while opener Cameron Bancroft was handed nine months, suggesting their 2019 Ashes plans were in tatters.

Five months on, it is clear England needs to get its own house in order in Test cricket – or their batting to be precise – before they can take any smug satisfaction from the Aussies’ problems.

England are on the verge of throwing away a

2-0 lead in the five-match series against India and even if they manage to ‘escape’ with a series win, their batting woes are too great to gloss over.

The on-going series with world No.1-ranked India has been a seesawing humdinger – but the fact bowling all-rounders Chris Woakes and Sam Curran have arguably been England’s best batsmen is a worry.

Barmy Army supporters may opt to deflect the concerns by questioning whether Warner or Smith will be back in Australia’s team next summer. But let’s leave that to the Australians to fret over.

Joe Root is still one of the best batsmen in the world but the muddled thinking over his best batting position is affecting the team.

The way he chose to switch from number three to four yesterday, promoting Moeen Ali (below right) in the process from seven, demonstrated the confusion. A captain should be allowed to lead as he desires and that includes choosing his own favoured batting position. He averages more than 50 at four as opposed to 40 at three.

But switching halfway through a Test did not look good and it was inevitable his opposite number Virat Kohli picked up on the indecision and had plenty to say out in the middle.

The opening combination is also not working and despite his promising 36 yesterday, Keaton Jennings’ place looks in great jeopardy for the winter tours to Sri Lanka and West Indies.

Since scoring 112 in his first Test innings and 54 in his second Test match, the opener has not managed a 50. Fellow opener

Alastair Cook (right) has a top score of 29 in four matches but his record-breaking feats and over 12,000

Test runs should allow him the luxury to choose his own exit.

That England played Jonny Bairstow with a broken finger was another telltale sign of how empty the batting cupboard is.

If Australia are to be toppled next year, England must find a settled batting order – and they must do it quickly!