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

Warner's Bold Prediction Answered by Doubt

The former England bowler's claim was in response to David Warner – a long-time Ashes rival – predicting a 4-0 victory for the hosts. "Should the skipper [Pat Cummins] be absent, they could perhaps snatch a single victory," Warner said.

Australia have not lost a Ashes match at home after England's 3-1 victory in 2010-11. The subsequent 5-0 whitewash three years later – following seven defeats in their last nine matches – came before 4-0 Ashes triumphs in the 2017-18 and 2021-22 campaigns.

Squad Doubt and Fitness Concerns for Australia

Yet, the No 1-ranked Test team, 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 Cummins, who is unlikely to feature in the first Test at the Perth stadium because of a back injury.

"It's extremely challenging to win in Australia as an English team, or any side," Broad remarked during his podcast. "The Australians are strong favorites."

"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 captain’s fitness. It's not unreasonable in believing – this isn't merely a view, it’s a fact – it is likely the worst Australian team since 2010. Meanwhile, it's the strongest England squad since 2010. So those things point towards the reality that it’s going to be a brilliant contest."

Parallel to Historic Tour

"Australia have been so consistent for a prolonged duration that you just knew who was going to open the batting, 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 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 performing exceptionally and the Australians face a real possibility of being bad."

Selection Decision for England

A key question for England remains their choice at the number three position, with Ollie Pope and Jacob Bethell contesting the spot. Alastair Cook, whose prolific scoring paved the way for the tourists’ series win 15 years ago, thinks it would be "unusual" for Ben Stokes’ side to move away from Pope, who has been a consistent at first drop for the past three seasons.

"I would bat Pope at three," said Cook. "I think it’s quite an easy decision. You’ve got someone who’s been part of this buildup for three or four years. He’s captained the side, he’s played some extraordinary innings for the national side and he’s a hundred-maker. He knows how to score hundreds in first-class cricket. 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, a player you recently discarded? They’ve invested so much in players such as Ollie Pope and [Crawley that it would be highly odd to make a switch at this stage."

Leadership Change and Broadcast Team

Pope has been replaced by Harry Brook as England’s vice-captain but, as per Cook, that will "ease the burden on" the Surrey batsman.

"The management has acted decisively on that, considering if there is an injury to Ben Stokes, they have a player in Brook who has led the ODI team and everyone has seen that he seems to be a natural fit. That will just take the pressure off. I believe it won't undermine him. I’m sure 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 undermines him."

Alastair Cook will be in Australia as part of TNT’s coverage of the series, and will be joined by fellow Ashes winners Steven Finn and Swann as on-the-ground pundits. The network will provide its own audio feed but will operate a hybrid model, with commentators Eykyn and Hatch to work off-site in the United Kingdom, while the trio deliver expert analysis from on location. Rainford-Brent is also part of the commentary team working off-site, with the on-ground coverage to be presented by Ives.