Overview:
He expects the series to be fiercely contested, even though Australia have kept hold of the Ashes since 2018 and have suffered only four home Test defeats to England this entire century.
Ricky Ponting, the former Australia skipper, has backed the hosts to win the upcoming Ashes, predicting a 3–2 victory in the five-Test showdown. He expects the series to be fiercely contested, even though Australia have kept hold of the Ashes since 2018 and have suffered only four home Test defeats to England this entire century. Ponting still feels England will challenge them strongly throughout the tour.
“With the way England approaches the game, I don’t expect to see a single draw. If the weather holds across the Australian summer and Sydney has been the most problematic venue for years every Test should produce a result,” Ponting noted during The ICC Review.
“Perth and Brisbane are usually excellent at this time of year, so I don’t expect any matches to end in draws. I see it being extremely tight, and that’s why I’m backing Australia to win 3–2.”
“He noted that the absence of draws shows just how tight the contest could get. He added that, even after considering all factors, England have managed only four Test wins in Australia this century, yet he still expects them to take two matches in this series. That, he said, reflects how much closer he believes the battle will be.”
Ponting believes England’s hopes rest largely on how Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett perform at the top. He cautions that if Australia’s bowlers remove them early, they can quickly dominate the middle order. According to him, the openers must challenge Australia’s pacers right from the first overs to grab the early momentum.
“I’ve reviewed England’s performances over the past few years, and whenever they’ve produced strong Test cricket, it’s largely been driven by quick, confident starts from their opening batters,” Ponting observed.