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The pre-Ashes verbal sparring continues to heat up, with ex-England bowler Stuart Broad stating that England will confront "probably the worst Aussie squad since 2010" on tour this winter.

David Warner's Bold Prediction Met With Doubt

The former England bowler's claim came as a reply to Warner – a long-time Ashes rival – forecasting a clean sweep for the home side. "Should the skipper [Pat Cummins] be absent, they could perhaps snatch a single victory," Warner commented.

Australia have not lost a Ashes match at home after England's 3-1 victory in the 2010-11 tour. Their 5-0 win in the following series – following seven losses in their last nine matches – came before 4-0 Ashes triumphs in the 2017-18 and 2021-22 campaigns.

Squad Doubt and Fitness Worries for Australia

Yet, the No 1-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 batting lineup and the fitness of Pat Cummins, who is unlikely to feature in the opening match at Perth because of a back injury.

"It’s very, very difficult to win in Australia as an England side, or any side," Broad remarked during his podcast. "Australia have to be strong favorites."

"The Aussies face the greatest expectations because they’re anticipated to prevail, they’re brilliant at home, but they’ve got question marks over their team and concerns over their skipper's condition. It's not unreasonable in believing – this isn't merely a view, it's a reality – it is likely the worst Australian team since the 2010 era. And it’s the best England squad in over a decade. So those things point towards the reality that it’s going to be a brilliant contest."

Comparison to 2010-11 Series

"The Australians have remained so consistent for a prolonged duration that it was clear who would open the innings, who was going to bat, what bowlers there were, and they lack that certainty now. It’s very much 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 lose in Australia and England have to be very good. The English have a solid opportunity of performing exceptionally and the Australians face a real possibility of being bad."

Selection Decision for England

A major issue for England remains their choice at the number three position, with Pope and Bethell contesting the spot. Alastair Cook, whose prolific scoring paved the way for the tourists’ series win over a decade past, believes it would be "strange" for Stokes' team to move away from Ollie Pope, who has been a consistent at first drop for the past three seasons.

"I would bat Pope at number three," Cook stated. "In my view it’s quite an easy choice. They have a player who has 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 the domestic game. If they drop him now, I believe that alters the entire balance of the foundation they've established over the recent years."

Although praising Bethell as "a hugely gifted cricketer", Cook said: "It would be a big, big gamble [to pick him] because if that doesn’t work where do you move back to, someone you’ve just got rid of? They’ve invested so much in players such as Pope and [Crawley that it would seem highly odd to change it now."

Leadership Change and Commentary Team

Pope has been succeeded by Harry Brook as the team's deputy skipper but, as per Cook, that will "take the pressure off" the Surrey right-hander.

"The management has acted decisively on that, thinking in case of an injury to Ben Stokes, they have a player in Brook who has taken the [captaincy of the] one-day side and everyone has seen that he appears well suited to it. This will relieve Pope. I believe it won't undermine him. Certainly it will have hurt him because whenever you're removed from a leadership role it wouldn’t be ideal, 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 accompanied by former Ashes champions Steven Finn and Swann as on-the-ground pundits. The channel will provide its own audio feed but will use a mixed approach, with commentators Alastair Eykyn and Hatch based remotely in the United Kingdom, while Cook, Finn and Swann deliver expert analysis from on location. Ebony Rainford-Brent is also part of the commentary team working off-site, with the on-ground coverage to be hosted by Ives.