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*Official* Road to the 2025-26 Ashes

IcarianStyles

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
Maybe it's just me but I'm a little surprised England fans and media aren't rating their chances of winning this Ashes more? A bit shocked to see some pessimism on their behalf

I honestly thought they would be quite confident with their bazball side and how vulnurable this current Australia side is; kinda like a Ashes 2010 scenario
 

flibbertyjibber

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2010 we expected to win as we knew we had a better side than them. This current side is much better than the last one to tour down under but they are still hit and miss so nobody is convinced they will win or just not ruin a winning chance by self destructing.
 

Gob

International Coach
Firsts tests looms to be Australia's biggest test

Cummins will most likely be back for second by all reports and I think he'll push to play 3 tests now that Hazlewood is out (Aust do not play test cricket for 8 months after this) so the Aust attack for 3 out of the last 4 tests could well be Starc, Cummins, Boland and that is quality. Who knows Hazlewood may be fit for the latter part so the attack in the first test could well be the worst one that England plays

And from Englands pov, this could well be the only test both Wood and Archer play together and going by their track record, there is every chance of both running out of fuel by the 3rd test. If Australia can come out of the first test without trailing the series, things could only get better from there
 

the big bambino

Cricketer Of The Year
Aus Khawaja Weatherald Marnus Smith Head Green Carey Neser Starc Boland Doggett
Eng Crawley Duckett Pope Root Brook Stokes Smith Jacks Atkinson Carse Archer

Just not getting spin bowling vibes for Perth so Lyon and Bashir miss out. Root, Jacks and Travis to bowl the spin for their sides if required. The above XIs are also padded with additional batting in the tail which is another selection made in deference of the conditions in Perth. I'd pick Wood for Perth but think it a little too risky at this stage of his comeback. Otherwise he'd come in for Carse.

I'm also getting the feeling the selectors are regretting picking Weatherald. I think they'd prefer Renshaw but his runs came too late for selection. He hasn't played a game but I think Weatherald's place in the squad is already under threat.
 

Victor Ian

International Coach
I'll never understand why a home team restricts themselves to selecting from a squad. Why not just have the whole of their country as their squad? I get that once the match has started that they want a stated squad for subs and stuff, but until the match starts, why restrict things?
 

Daemon

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I'll never understand why a home team restricts themselves to selecting from a squad. Why not just have the whole of their country as their squad? I get that once the match has started that they want a stated squad for subs and stuff, but until the match starts, why restrict things?
It’s purely logistical. You can pick whoever you want but you can’t issue kits, book flights or have training sessions for 30 million people.
 

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