England’s prospects for the Ashes look promising despite recent setbacks

England’s prospects for the upcoming Ashes series Down Under appear promising, despite their loss to India this week.

While England suffered a significant defeat by over 300 runs to India at Edgbaston, and Australia secured a comfortable 133-run victory over West Indies, England seem to be shaping up well for a fierce competition, perhaps offering their best chance to beat Australia in their own backyard in recent memory.

Ben Duckett has been a revelation this year, establishing himself as a major force for England across all formats.

In three Test matches, Duckett has amassed 336 runs at an impressive average of 149. His exceptional knock of 149 against India at Edgbaston was instrumental in England successfully chasing a target of 371 against a formidable bowling attack comprising Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj.

England’s Ben Duckett celebrates reaching a century. (Photo by John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)

In seven ODIs, Duckett has scored at a striking rate of 114.80, achieving his career-best of 165 against Australia. At present, he is being hailed as the best all-format batsman in the world.

It is perhaps the first time since the 2010-11 Ashes that England boasts a truly reliable opening pair in Duckett and Zak Crawley.

Zak Crawley has a commendable record against Australia; he was England’s leading run-scorer in the 2023 Ashes, with a highest score of 189.

Crawley clearly relishes playing against Australia, as his Test average climbs to 43 against them. That’s significantly higher than his career average, which languishes in the 30s.

With Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes to follow, England’s batting line-up looks formidable on paper. Root, who averages 35 in England, will be eager to shed the pressure of captaincy and score his first Test century in Australia.

Should he achieve this long-awaited milestone, more hundreds are likely to follow. Ben Stokes might not have scored a hundred in the last two years, but he has consistently proven to be a match-winner who stands tall for his side when the chips are down.

The hostility from the Australian crowd can often spur him on to deliver his best, as Stokes thrives on such challenges, much like India’s Virat Kohli. England’s batting struggles in Australia from 2013 until the last Ashes series have historically put them at a disadvantage.

In the last Test at Edgbaston, the young wicketkeeper-batsman, Smith, showcased his talent with scores of 184 not out and 88 against a top-class Indian bowling line-up. With a fit and firing Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, and the all-rounder Chris Woakes in contention, England’s bowling attack looks formidable. And let’s not forget Gus Atkinson, who can surprise batsmen with his ability to bowl at 95 mph.

All eyes are now on Jofra Archer’s highly anticipated comeback in the next Test against India at Lord’s. The contests between Jofra Archer and Steven Smith, and Joe Root and Pat Cummins, will undoubtedly be key battles to watch out for.

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