Ashes 2017-18: Joe Root challenges unchanged England to stand up and be counted in Perth
The skipper has resisted the temptation to add new personnel despite two defeats leaving his scandal-hit tourists on the brink
JOE ROOT has challenged his unchanged England team to stand up and be counted in their Perth crunch.
The skipper and his selectors have resisted the temptation to re-jig their line-up after two defeats and a series of off-field scandals.
But Jonny Bairstow will move up to No6, with Moeen Ali dropping a place, in a slight change for the Third Test at the Waca.
Knowing his side need at least a draw to keep the series alive, Root said: "It's time to stand up.
"These are the games that when you get them right, they really hit home with people.
"And that's what people want to see-in the face of adversity, people stand up and really put in those big performances and prove why they have been selected to play for England.
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"That's the opportunity that's in front of this group, to go and win here at the Waca for the first time in a long time, by playing well for longer. If we get that right, there is no reason we can't be sat here at 2-1 next week."
England's last tour of Australia ended in a humiliating 5-0 whitewash.
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And Root, 26, is determined for his players to clean up their acts as late-night incidents threaten to result in another disaster.
He added: "I'm fed up talking about stuff that's not cricket.
"We have to make sure we perform well this week and win. Get people talking about the cricket.
"This is a very professional group of players that goes about things in the right way. But we've had two incidents that have been blown up and made a big deal of. They could have been avoided.
"That's the annoying thing, as you know, but a lot of people back home probably don't, the stories are not a fair reflection of this team. But a lot of the stuff that's being spouted is giving ammunition."
ENGLAND: Cook, Stoneman, Vince, Root (capt), Malan, Bairstow (wkt), Moeen, Woakes, Overton, Broad, Anderson.
AUSTRALIA (likely): Warner, Bancroft, Khawaja, Smith (capt), S.Marsh, M.Marsh, Paine (wkt), Starc, Cummins, Hazlewood, Lyon.