England’s Ashes aspirations hinge entirely on the outcome of the opening Test in Perth, according to former captain Michael Vaughan, who believes Ben Stokes’ side will face an insurmountable challenge if they fall behind early.
The stark warning comes as England prepare to confront a formidable Australian record on home soil, having failed to secure a single victory in their last three tours Down Under.
Vaughan, who famously led England to a 2-1 series triumph in 2005, sees the upcoming match as a “glaring opportunity” that the tourists “have to take this week,” particularly given Australia’s potential injury woes.
“They have to come out and win. I don’t think England will come back from going 1-0 down with (Pat) Cummins and (Josh) Hazlewood to come back into the series. They have to win here,” Vaughan stated on The Overlap and Betfair’s Stick to Cricket podcast.
He stressed the importance of an early foothold before facing subsequent Tests in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney.
However, former Australian batter Mike Hussey has voiced concerns over England’s pre-series preparations, labelling them “risky.”
While Australia may be without captain Pat Cummins and fellow paceman Josh Hazlewood in Perth, Hussey suggests England’s approach to adapting to local conditions could prove detrimental.
“When I was going to play county cricket in England, it used to take me three or four weeks just to get used to the pitches,” Hussey, a member of the dominant 2006-2007 Ashes-winning side, explained.
“It’s the same coming to Australia. You can’t just fly in and think, ‘oh yeah, I’m going to be fine here on these pitches’.”
He further criticised the choice of practice venue: “Plus, they’ve sent England out to Lilac Hill, which is a beautiful, beautiful ground. But it’s a club ground. It’s not going to have the same pace and bounce as this sort of pitch.”
Hussey acknowledged scheduling pressures but concluded: “I think it’s a risk, but hindsight will tell.”
