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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 Australian team in over a decade" on tour this season.

Warner's Bold Prediction Answered by Skepticism

Broad's assertion came as a reply to Warner – an Ashes foe of Broad’s – predicting a clean sweep for the hosts. "If the captain [Pat Cummins] doesn’t play, they might win one game," Warner commented.

Australia have not lost a men’s Ashes match on home soil since England’s 3-1 victory in the 2010-11 tour. Their 5-0 win three years later – on the back of seven defeats in their last nine matches – came before 4-0 series victories in the 2017-18 and 2021-22 campaigns.

Squad Doubt and Injury Worries for the Hosts

Yet, the top-ranked Test team, who have suffered just a single defeat of their past 13 bilateral series, enter the upcoming assignment with uncertainty over the composition of their top order and the health of Cummins, who is unlikely to feature in the opening match at the Perth stadium because of a back injury.

"It's extremely challenging to win in Australia as an England side, or any side," said Broad on his podcast. "The Australians are massive favourites."

"Australia are under the greatest expectations because they’re anticipated to prevail, they’re brilliant at home, 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 the 2010 era. And it’s the best English team in over a decade. So those things match up to the reality that it’s going to be a thrilling Ashes series."

Comparison to 2010-11 Tour

"Australia have been so consistent for a long period of time that you just knew who would open the batting, who would bat, which bowlers were available, and they don’t have that. It’s very much a comparable scenario to 2010-11 when England traveled and emerged victorious. The reality is the Aussies typically need to underperform to be defeated at home and England must excel. The English have a solid opportunity of performing exceptionally and Australia have a decent chance of underperforming."

Selection Decision for England

A key question for the English camp remains their choice at the number three position, with Pope and Bethell vying for the role. Cook, whose prolific scoring paved the way for the visitors' series victory 15 years ago, believes it would be "strange" for Stokes' team to abandon Pope, who has been a consistent at first drop for the last three years.

"I'd select Ollie Pope at three," said Cook. "In my view it’s a straightforward decision. They have 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 England and he scores centuries. He understands how to score hundreds in the domestic game. If they drop him now, I think that changes the whole dynamic of the foundation they've established over the last few years."

Although praising Bethell as "a hugely gifted cricketer", Cook added: "It would represent a major risk [to pick him] because if that doesn’t work where do you move back to, a player you recently discarded? They have committed heavily in people like Pope and [Zak] Crawley that it would be such a strange thing to change it now."

Captaincy Shift and Broadcast Crew

Ollie Pope has been replaced by Brook as the team's deputy skipper but, according to Cook, that will "ease the burden on" the Surrey batsman.

"They’ve been proactive on that, considering in case of an injury to Ben Stokes, they’ve got a guy in Brook who has taken the [captaincy of the] one-day side and it's evident that he appears a natural fit. This will relieve Pope. I don’t think undermine him. I’m sure it will have hurt him because whenever you're removed from a leadership thing it isn't perfect, but I don’t think it diminishes his standing."

Alastair Cook will be in the host nation as part of the broadcast team of the series, and will be accompanied by fellow Ashes winners Finn and Graeme Swann as on-the-ground pundits. The network will provide its own audio feed but will use a mixed approach, with commentators Alastair Eykyn and Rob Hatch to work off-site in the United Kingdom, while the trio provide co-commentary from Australia. Ebony Rainford-Brent is also part of the broadcast team operating remotely, with the on-ground coverage to be hosted by Ives.