Michael Atherton believes England can take heart from the recent Test series between Australia and India as Ben Stokes’ side prepare to face the two teams over the next 12 months.
Australia were easily bowled out by 295 runs in the opening Test in Perth before fighting back to win 3-1, but Atherton saw vulnerabilities in the hosts’ batting line-up, in particular, giving the former England captain an “optimistic” first Ashes victory Down Under Since 2010/11.
Travis Head and Yasavi Jaiswal were the only top-order batsmen from either side, averaging over 35 at 56.00 and 43.44 respectively, and while Ash’s past England disaster, Steve Smith, matched Head’s two century series, he averaged one: a modest 34.88, with other notable players, Virat Kohli (23.75), Rohit Sharma (6.20) and Marnus Labuschagne (25.77) are even worse.
India captain Rohit Sharma came off the back of the last Test against Australia after averaging 6.20 in his three appearances.
England host India in a five-Test series this summer on June 20, live on Sky Sports Cricket, before traveling to Australia for the Ashes in November.
“The lack of form from India’s top players, Rohit, Virat and others, allied with too much reliance on (Jasprit) Bumrah, was the difference in the end,” Atherton said on the latest episode of the show. Sky Sports Cricket Podcast:.
“From England’s point of view I felt they would have taken some encouragement … from both sides actually.
Steve Smith hit a double hundred but otherwise struggled with the bat, as did most batsmen during the Australia-India series.
“The batting of both sides looks vulnerable. Australia was also struggling. Usman Khawaja was on top, Smith got the two hundred but he looked like the player he was. Mitch Marsh was dismissed and (Alex) Carey looked vulnerable with the ball coming back to him in
“Unlike maybe 20 or 30 years ago when we were playing and you’d look at the Aussies line-up and think, ‘What?’ – I can see an avenue for England if their bowlers are fit where there could be some opportunities.
“I think they would have been reasonably encouraged by what they saw, although both sides played good, hard, competitive cricket and it was a fantastic series.”
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In the Sky Sports Cricket podcast, Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain take a look at how good England have been in Test cricket in 2024.
Another reason for optimism in the England camp may be the age profile of their Australian counterparts.
With the introduction of eye-catching teenager Sam Konstas for the final two Tests of the series, Pat Cummins’ squad had no players in their 20s and the rest in their 30s, including an aging bowling line-up with the captain the youngest by a few years at 31.
“(Mitchell) Starc, Cummins and (Josh) Hazlewood have been in possession for so long and (Scott) Boland as a back-up, but they’re not spring chickens, are they?” Atherton added.
Mitchell Starc is now 34 and Australia captain Pat Cummins is the youngest in their attack at 31.
“Looking ahead another 12 months, they’re at a stage where they’re at what you’d think would be the twilight of a fast bowler’s career, although Jimmy Anderson (retires at 41) might suggest you might Are you stretching it a little more now?
“I suppose you could argue that when Constas came in, Bo Webster came in, (Nathan) McSweeney started, they’re starting to rebuild that side, but for the Boxing Day Test it was a strange age profile for the team.” :
All that said, Atherton still gives Australia a slight edge as favorites for the Ashes next winter.
“I think England are favorites to beat India at home,” he added. “For the first time since ’11, I’m relatively optimistic.”
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