🔗 Share this article Ashes Pre-Series Banter Escalates as Stuart Broad Calls Australian Team the Worst Since 2010 The pre-Ashes verbal sparring is escalating further, with former England paceman Stuart Broad declaring that England will face "arguably the weakest Australian team since 2010" during their tour this winter. David Warner's Bold Prediction Answered by Doubt Broad's assertion was in response to Warner – a long-time Ashes rival – predicting a 4-0 victory for the home side. "If the captain [Pat Cummins] doesn’t play, they might win one game," Warner said. Australia have not lost a men’s Ashes match at home after England's series win in the 2010-11 tour. Their 5-0 win three years later – on the back of seven losses in their previous nine Tests – was followed by 4-0 series victories in the 2017-18 and 2021-22 campaigns. Squad Doubt and Injury Concerns for the Hosts However, the top-ranked Test side, who have lost only one of their past 13 bilateral series, approach the forthcoming contest with questions over the makeup of their top order and the health of Pat Cummins, who is unlikely to feature in the first Test at the Perth stadium because of a back injury. "It's extremely challenging to triumph on Australian soil as an England side, or any side," said Broad on his podcast. "The Australians are strong favorites." "Australia are under the most pressure because they’re anticipated to prevail, they’re formidable in home conditions, but they’ve got question marks over their squad and question marks over their skipper's condition. It's not unreasonable in thinking – this isn't merely a view, it’s a fact – it is likely the worst Australian team since 2010. And it’s the best English team since 2010. These factors match up to the reality that it’s going to be a thrilling Ashes series." Comparison to Historic Series "Australia have been highly stable for a long period of time that it was clear who was going to open the innings, who was going to bat, which bowlers were available, and they don’t have that. It closely resembles a similar situation to the 2010-11 period when England went and won there. The fact of the matter is Australia generally have to be bad to be defeated at home and England must excel. The English have a solid opportunity of being very good and Australia have a decent chance of being bad." Selection Dilemma for England A key question for the English camp remains their choice at the number three position, with Pope and Jacob Bethell contesting the spot. Cook, whose prolific scoring paved the way for the tourists’ series win 15 years ago, thinks it would be "unusual" for Stokes' team to move away from Ollie Pope, who has been a consistent at number three for the last three years. "I would bat Ollie Pope at number three," Cook stated. "I think it’s a straightforward choice. They have someone who’s been part of this buildup for three or four years. He’s captained the side, he’s played remarkable performances for England and he’s a hundred-maker. He understands how to score hundreds in first-class cricket. If you get rid of him now, I think that alters the entire balance of what they’ve built up over the last few years." While hailing Bethell as "a hugely gifted cricketer", Cook added: "It would represent a major risk [to pick him] because should it fail where do you move back to, a player you recently discarded? They have committed heavily in players such as Ollie Pope and [Zak] Crawley that it would seem such a strange thing to change it now." Leadership Shift and Broadcast Team Ollie Pope has been replaced by Brook as the team's deputy skipper but, as per Cook, that will "ease the burden on" the Surrey batsman. "They’ve been proactive on that, thinking if there is an injury to Stokes, they have a player in Harry Brook who has led the ODI team and it's evident that he seems to be well suited to it. This will take the pressure off. I believe it won't weaken his position. Certainly it will have disappointed him because anytime you get taken off a leadership thing it isn't perfect, but I don’t think it undermines him." Alastair Cook will be in Australia as part of TNT’s coverage of the series, and will be accompanied by fellow Ashes winners Steven Finn and Graeme Swann as on-the-ground pundits. The channel will offer a dedicated commentary stream but will operate a hybrid model, with play-by-play announcers Alastair Eykyn and Hatch based remotely in the UK, while the trio deliver expert analysis from Australia. Rainford-Brent is also part of the commentary team operating remotely, with the on-ground coverage to be presented by Ives.