England Test team since the appointment of Ben Stokes as captain and Brendon McCullum as head coach: 13 Tests, 11 wins, 2 losses.
Despite the success of the England team in the Bazball era so far, Australian legendary pacer Glenn McGrath has predicted that Pat Cummins’ side will whitewash England by a 5-0 margin in the upcoming, epic, much-awaited Ashes 2023 series.
England’s Test side has been on an unbelievable high over the past year with Ben Stokes’ men changing the landscape of not just England’s Test team, but Test cricket in general with their attacking batting displays, and aggressive, result-oriented decision-making.
Australia, too, are on a peak with the World Test Championship mace in their pocket having defeated India in the WTC Final at The Oval.
The Ashes 2023 will kick-start this Friday at Edgbaston, Birmingham. On their last tour in 2019, the series was drawn 2-2, but Australia retained the Ashes Urn as Steve Smith and Pat Cummins had legacy-defining series. Here, once again, there are in England to elevate the status of their Test careers.
Glenn McGrath predicts 5-0 Ashes win for Australia, Vaughan goes for England 3-1
Former Aussie great Glenn McGrath said he’s impressed with the Bazball approach of the England side before asserting that Australia have some of the greats of the game on their side. McGrath reckons all Tests will go down the wire, but the former fast bowler has predicted Australia to win 5-0.
“I’ve been really impressed with the way England have been playing, but this Australian team is different with a great bowling attack and quality batters. It’s going to be an incredible contest. The first Test is massively important. I can see every Test going down to the wire, with Australia just winning… every game. I’m sure people want me to say 5-0, so I will not disappoint them,” McGrath told BBC.
Former England skipper and the 2005 Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan predicted that it will be England who will come out on top in the Ashes 2023 with a 3-1 scoreline.
“History says Australia haven’t won in the UK since 2001. The last time they were here in 2019, it was a very similar team to what they have now and they only managed a 2-2 draw against an England team that wasn’t very good. England are miles better now and they will surprise the Australians,” Vaughan said.
England have not won the Ashes since 2015, while Australia have not won the series in England for 22 years.
