🔗 Share this article

The pre-Ashes verbal sparring continues to heat up, with ex-England bowler Stuart Broad stating that England will face "arguably the weakest Australian team since 2010" during their tour this season.

Warner's Bold Prediction Met With Doubt

Broad's assertion came as a reply to David Warner – an Ashes foe of Broad’s – predicting a 4-0 victory for the hosts. "Should the skipper [Pat Cummins] be absent, they could perhaps snatch a single victory," Warner said.

The Aussies remain undefeated in a Ashes match at home since England’s 3-1 victory in 2010-11. The subsequent 5-0 whitewash three years later – on the back of seven losses in their last nine matches – was followed by 4-0 series victories in the 2017-18 and 2021-22 campaigns.

Team Doubt and Injury Worries for Australia

Yet, the top-ranked Test team, who have lost only one of their past 13 bilateral series, enter the upcoming assignment with questions over the makeup of their top order and the fitness of Cummins, who is doubtful to play in the opening match at the Perth stadium because of a back injury.

"It's extremely challenging to win in Australia as an England side, or any side," said Broad during his podcast. "The Australians are massive favourites."

"Australia are under the most pressure because they’re expected to win, they’re formidable in home conditions, but they’ve got question marks over their team and question marks over their skipper's condition. It's not unreasonable in thinking – it’s actually not an opinion, it’s a fact – it’s probably the worst Australian team since 2010. And it’s the best English team since 2010. So those things point towards the reality that it’s going to be a thrilling contest."

Parallel to 2010-11 Tour

"The Australians have remained so consistent for a long period of time that it was clear who would open the innings, who was going to bat, which bowlers were available, and they don’t have that. It’s very much a similar situation to the 2010-11 period when England went and won there. The reality is Australia generally have to be bad to be defeated at home and England must excel. England have a great chance of performing exceptionally and the Australians face a real possibility of being bad."

Team Decision for the Visitors

A key question for the English camp remains their selection at No 3, with Pope and Jacob Bethell vying for the role. Cook, whose 766 runs paved the way for the visitors' series victory 15 years ago, thinks it would be "unusual" for Stokes' team to abandon Ollie Pope, who has been a consistent at number three for the last three years.

"I'd select Ollie Pope at three," said Cook. "I think it’s quite an easy choice. You’ve got a player who has been part of this buildup for three or four years. He has led the team, he’s played remarkable performances for the national side and he scores centuries. He understands how to make big scores in the domestic game. If you get rid of him now, I think that alters the entire balance of the foundation they've established over the last few years."

Although praising Jacob Bethell as "a hugely gifted cricketer", Cook said: "It would represent a big, big gamble [to pick him] because if that doesn’t work where do you move back to, a player you recently discarded? They’ve invested so much in players such as Pope and [Zak] Crawley that it would seem highly odd to make a switch at this stage."

Captaincy Change and Broadcast Team

Ollie Pope has been succeeded by Harry Brook as the team's deputy skipper but, according to Cook, that will "ease the burden on" the Surrey right-hander.

"They’ve been proactive on that, considering if there is an injury to Ben Stokes, they have a player in Brook who has led the ODI team and it's evident that he seems to be well suited to it. That will just relieve Pope. I don’t think undermine him. I’m sure it will have disappointed him because whenever you're removed from a leadership role it isn't perfect, but I don’t think it diminishes his standing."

Cook will be in Australia as part of TNT’s coverage of the Ashes, and will be joined by former Ashes champions Steven Finn and Swann as in-studio analysts. The network will provide its own audio feed but will operate a hybrid model, with commentators Alastair Eykyn and Hatch based remotely in the UK, while the trio provide co-commentary from on location. Ebony Rainford-Brent is also part of the broadcast team working off-site, with the on-ground coverage to be hosted by Ives.