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The war of words before the Ashes is escalating further, with ex-England paceman Stuart Broad declaring that the English side will face "arguably the weakest Aussie squad since 2010" on tour this season.

David Warner's Bold Prediction Met With Doubt

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

The Aussies remain undefeated in a Ashes match on home soil since England’s 3-1 victory in 2010-11. Their 5-0 win in the following series – on the back of seven losses in their previous nine Tests – came before 4-0 series victories in the 2017-18 and 2021-22 campaigns.

Squad Uncertainty and Fitness Concerns for Australia

However, the No 1-ranked Test side, who have lost only one of their past 13 bilateral series, approach the forthcoming contest with uncertainty over the composition of their batting lineup and the health of Cummins, who is doubtful to play in the first Test at Perth because of a back issue.

"It's extremely challenging to triumph on Australian soil as an England side, or any visiting team," said Broad during his podcast. "The Australians are massive favourites."

"The Aussies face the most pressure because they’re anticipated to prevail, they’re brilliant at home, but they’ve got question marks over their squad and concerns over their captain’s fitness. You wouldn’t be outlandish in believing – this isn't merely a view, it’s a fact – it’s probably the weakest Aussie lineup since 2010. Meanwhile, it's the strongest English team in over a decade. So those things match up to the reality that it’s going to be a thrilling contest."

Comparison to Historic Series

"Australia have been highly stable for a prolonged duration that it was clear who would open the innings, who would bat, what bowlers there were, and they don’t have that. It closely resembles a comparable scenario 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 have to be very good. England have a great chance of being very good and Australia have a decent chance of being bad."

Team Dilemma for the Visitors

A major issue for England remains their choice at No 3, with Ollie Pope and Jacob Bethell vying for the role. Alastair Cook, whose 766 runs set up the visitors' series victory 15 years ago, thinks it would be "strange" for Ben Stokes’ side to abandon Ollie Pope, who has been a regular at first drop for the last three years.

"I'd select Pope at number three," said Cook. "In my view it’s a straightforward choice. They have a player who has been part of this buildup for several years. He’s captained the side, he has delivered some extraordinary innings for England and he’s a hundred-maker. He understands how to score hundreds in first-class cricket. If they drop him now, I think that changes the whole dynamic of what they’ve built up over the recent years."

Although praising Jacob Bethell as "a hugely gifted cricketer", Cook said: "It would represent a big, big gamble [to pick him] because should it fail what is the fallback option, a player you recently discarded? They’ve invested so much in players such as Ollie Pope and [Crawley that it would be such a strange thing to change it now."

Captaincy Shift and Commentary Team

Pope has been succeeded by 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 Stokes, they’ve got a guy in Harry Brook who has taken the [captaincy of the] one-day side and it's evident that he appears well suited to it. This will take the pressure off. I believe it won't undermine him. Certainly it will have disappointed him because whenever you're removed from a leadership thing it wouldn’t be ideal, but I don’t think it undermines him."

Alastair Cook will be in the host nation as part of TNT’s coverage of the series, and will be joined by fellow Ashes winners Finn and Graeme Swann as in-studio analysts. The channel will offer a dedicated commentary stream but will use a mixed approach, with commentators Alastair Eykyn and Hatch to work off-site in the UK, while Cook, Finn and Swann provide co-commentary from Australia. Ebony Rainford-Brent is also part of the broadcast team operating remotely, with the live presentation to be hosted by Ives.