The Ashes 2023 is about to get underway as Australia and England prepare themselves to lock horns in the much-anticipated series from June 16 at Edgbaston. Both teams will be playing one Test each ahead of the series to prepare themselves for the action-packed encounter. England played a one-off Test against Ireland earlier which they won by 10 wickets while Australia are locking horns with India in the World Test Championship final 2023.
Ahead of the Ashes, there have been widespread talks about whether England’s Bazball ploy will be successful against a world-class bowling attack like Australia. Commenting on the same, former Australian captain Steve Waugh has asked if England have a "Plan B" if the Bazball approach doesn’t work out.
"That is the big question mark over so-called Bazball. What is Plan B? Have they got a Plan B? If they haven't then they are going to be found out. They have shown they are good enough to carry this style of cricket off but the ultimate test will be against a world-class bowling attack, which Australia has got.” Waugh was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.
Notably, England are playing an aggressive brand of cricket under the leadership of captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum where they’ve scored runs at a rate of 4.85 an over in the past year. The Three Lions have won 11 out of the 13 Tests played in this period and have revolutionized Test cricket.
Further talking about England’s approach, Waugh said that England will have the courage to go through with it under the leadership of Stokes and McCullum.
"There is no doubt it won't work all the time but I think with [coach Brendon] McCullum and [captain Ben] Stokes they will have the courage to go through with it. They can't chop and change. Have they got a back-up plan? I'm not sure. That might find them out,” Waugh added.
Australia haven't won an Ashes series in England since 2001
England last won the Ashes in 2015 at home winning the series by 3-2. Since then, Australia have retained the Ashes in the next three series in 2017-18, 2019 and 2021-22 respectively. Australia last won the Ashes in England in 2001 and drew the last series 2-2 in 2019. Hence, they will be desperate to beat England in their backyard and assert their dominance on the Ben Stokes-led side.
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