Australia have been absolutely destroyed by India. But let’s face it, nobody wins there, the pitches are unfavourable, there’s no DRS and the batsman are trained to bat against quality spin.
England won there because they had two world-class players in Alastair Cook and Graeme Swann. We only have one in Michael Clarke.
England have a more balanced line-up.
Despite our recent success in Australia, we were never going to win in India.
However in England, we have a better shot.
The pitches are fair, there is a DRS and most of our batsmen (besides Phil Hughes), can cope with the swinging ball.
To win in England we need to have our best line-up on the park.
All-rounders that can’t bat or bowl such as Glenn Maxwell and Moises Henriques aren’t allowed.
Our batting line-up has to be stable and not prone to collapse. The only way we will have a line-up that can do well in England is if we look to our own domestic competition and not to limited overs cricket.
I have gone through and named who should be in the Ashes squad, with a number beside their name if they should be in the starting XI.
The batsmen
1. Dave Warner. Yes he hasn’t impressed in India but has anybody? He is an exciting batsman that when he’s on song can take the game away from the opposition.
2. Chris Rogers. He complements Warner perfectly at the top of the order, because he can play defensively but can also score runs. Age is against him but he is a quality player that can’t be ignored.
3. Shaun Marsh. Marsh beats Phil Hughes and Rob Quiney for first drop because he can build an innings but also attack. He is back in form and looked great in the second half of the season. There is a question mark as to the fitness of his hamstrings though.
4. Michael Clarke. The captain moves up to four because he has to bat higher. His spot is completely safe, but is dropped from the selectors panel.
5. Usman Khawaja. Usman is in the number five position unless Mike Hussey comes out of retirement . He is a great talent that hopefully will finally play against England.
Other batsmen that must be included in the final squad include George Bailey and Joe Burns.
If we choose to go with experience then George is a great man to have. He would definitely push Khawaja for the number five position but could also bat at six if we play no all rounder. He is a great leader that could definitely help Clarke out.
And Burns would come in as a back up for Marsh if his hammies give way. He has impressed for Queensland this season.
The wicketkeepers
There has been much argument about who should take the gloves for Australia. Haddin was a great player for Australia and did extremely well especially in the shadow of Gilchrist but he is past it. His reactions aren’t quite as good as they used to be.
There are two other options in Matt Wade and Tim Paine. My solution is to take both on tour, however in my XI Paine gets the nod at number six.
6. Tim Paine. He is a better batsman than Wade, however he has a bad history of injuries.
The all-rounders
There is a lot of debate about whether we should even have an all rounder in our side, but I think we should.
They give us extra batting and bowling depth that otherwise we wouldn’t have.
7. Mitchell Marsh: he has talent, he can bat and bowl better than Henriques and the only reason he doesn’t have a cap yet is because that like his brother he is injury prone. He will be a star.
James Faulkner should also come on tour as a shadow all-rounder. If Marsh gets injured then Faulkner is next in line if he improves his batting a bit.
The pacemen
8. James Pattinson. He is an exciting bowler who can lead the attack. He has a bit of DK Lillee and Merv Hughes about him.
9. Ryan Harris. It’s so great to see ‘Rhino’ up and about again and in the wickets. His spell against the Warriors was fantastic. Hope he can stay on the pitch because he is vital for the Ashes.
10. Jackson Bird. He swings the Kookaburra a fair way so imagine him with a brand new duke in his hand. He is the perfect bowler for English conditions.
Who else is on the plane? Patrick Cummins is a star for the future, despite being an injury risk.
Mitchell Starc wins the battle of the Mitches because he gets more swing than Johnson and is also very handy with the bat.
However if he is not fit for the Ashes (having surgery now) then Johnson takes his place.
Peter Siddle has a big heart but doesn’t move the ball. He is still a handy man to have in the squad.
The spinners
This is probably the hardest of all to pick. However, I settled on two spinners, one right armer and one lefty.
11. Ashton Agar. Agar wins the race of the spinners. He is a big talent at 19 years of age and turns the ball more than Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe or Xavier Doherty,
O’Keefe should also come along as it would be good to have some experience to back up Agar.
So, that is an XI that I reckon can win us back the urn.
Your thoughts?
Red Kev
Guest
Ed Cowan may not be good, but he's still a far superior batsman than Shane Watson.
Jonny Boy Jnr
Guest
Superb article and outstanding selections. Also glad that many of the posters acknowledge that Cowan is too limited against quality bowling which hopefully represents public opinion (and makes the selection panel take notice). I'm happy guys to be given a good go as long as ordinary players don't become 50+ Test stalwarts. Wallabies fans have had to put up with that for years (eg Al Baxter was the most capped prop in Wallaby history). I would be ecstatic if this was the squad picked for The Ashes but who knows.
nickyc
Guest
Against England Ashwin took 14 wkts @ 52.64 despite bowling on spin friendly pitches against batsmen who are reputedly weak against the turning ball. Meanwhile, Swann took 20 wkts @ 24.75 and Panesar 17 @ 26.82 against the masters of spin on their own wickets. With respect, the Indian commentariat and media acknowledged that the England spinners were superior to their own. There was widespread frustration that Ashwin and the others were unable to turn the ball as much as Swann and Panesar and that producing turning wickets was simply playing into England's hands.
Rob Barrow
Guest
MattF would be great if UTK can get a chance before we say he is unproven at test level, he hasn't had a chance to prove himself
Rob Barrow
Guest
I like the selection of Khawaja and Bird, both will be key in the ashes
Rob Barrow
Guest
Amazing also how Khawaja is number 3 on shield given he hasn't played a game since christmas
Rob Barrow
Guest
Khawaja and Burns are test standad, but overall its the team spirit that gets the bulls over the line
nickyc
Guest
Trott v Watson - both played 40 tests. Trott 3188 runs @ 50.60 (9 centuries, 14 fifties), Watson 2558 runs @ 36.02 (2 centuries, 19 fifties). Compton v Warner - Compton has only played six tests but he is an experienced player with room for further growth as he establishes himself in test cricket. He also appears to have a more reliable technique than Warner. In my original post I only listed the top seven with six Poms and one Aussie. The remaining spots would go to Swann and Anderson with two spots open to debate, so Poms 8, Aussies 1 and debatable 2.
Disco
Roar Guru
I've kept a close eye on Forrest scores all season after he was picked ahead of Khawaja for the West Indies Test squad. A rather embarrassing summer he's had.
Disco
Roar Guru
+1 He even struggled in the West Indies.
Disco
Roar Guru
Uncle Arthur: still pining for Kallis. He should shut up and do his job better.
Disco
Roar Guru
ODIs, IPL and BBL are seen as the truest tests of players' skill and character.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Well, there is that. I think the NSPs will stick it out with this lot for the Ashes If the get the expected shellacking in England, next summer will see and a changed landscape.
Red Kev
Guest
You have a short memory - no-one else has destroyed Siddle and Pattinson? How many centuries have India scored this series? Don't get me wrong - Ponting was a great batsman and you don't just lose that, he will still score runs. But he no longer has what it takes to score against the best attacks. Against South Africa he was hopeless (twice) averaging 17.5 and 6.4 Against New Zealand he was hopeless averaging 33 Against the West Indies he was hopeless averaging 24.3 Against Sri Lanka he was hopeless 31 Against England hopelessness was a distant dream he was that bad averaging 16.1
Richard
Guest
You have a short memory Red he destroyed Siddle and Pattinson at the start of the season, no one else has done that. Just because he failed in one game against Queensland deosn't mean much. Tas topped the table and Ponting was a large part of that.
Tasman
Guest
Have not see that one, thanks Red Kev. You could almost swear that they know an absulote flogging is coming up and don't want nothing to do with it!!?
The Gospel of Luke
Guest
The biggest story of the QLD side is not necessarily the performance of any individual players but the performance of the coach. Darren Lehmann is the real story coming out of the QLD side. He has got a previously underperforming and tbh not all that talented side (and I'm a Qlder) to lift their games to a point where they currently hold all the trophies in Australia and could possibly win to Shield finals in a row. What could he do at International level?
Matt F
Roar Guru
He's not a test match bowler "yet." At 23 years of age it's way too early to be telling him to give up first-class cricket!
Matt F
Roar Guru
It is very impressive. It probably also has a bit to do with peaking at the right time as well an even competition. They made the final in the Ryobi Cup by 1 point, the semis of the BBL on run rate (equal on points with 5th and 6th) and the Shield final by one point. There's obviously not much between most of the states yet QLD/Brisbane have managed to peak at the right time and win the big matches
Red Kev
Guest
Cold water poured on the drivel from Arthur about Ponting/Hussey: "International cricket's long passed me by,'' Ponting said he wasn't contemplating a return after coach Mickey Arthur told media in India his side was missing the former skipper. "It's extremely flattering,'' Hussey said when asked about Arthur's SOS call. "But I've moved on and I really don't want to be back in that pressure-cooker environment, particularly leading into the Ashes.