Ashes 2023 kicks off today, key battles to watch out for

Arguably the biggest Test cricket spectacle, the five-match Men's Ashes series 2023 starts today (May 16) at Edgbaston, Birmingham, England. The reigning Test world champions, Australia will take on the relentless bazball force of the English team which looks reinvented after the Ashes debacle Down Under in 2021.

After the 4-0 humiliating defeat, emboldened England, this year, will try to make amends at home with Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum at the helm of affairs after having some good cricket against Ireland and South Africa.

This year, the series also becomes more so important for the home team as the last time they won an Ashes was way back in 2015.

As of now, the English team has come out with their playing XI, while the guests are still evaluating the conditions.

English XI: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Moeen Ali, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

Ben Stokes backs Moeen Ali to produce some unbelievable match winning performances in the Ashes. pic.twitter.com/PJvPEEPClI

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 16, 2023

Men's Ashes so far

• Series played: 72
• Australia wins: 34
• England wins: 32
• Draws: 6

The contests within

It's going to be loud and electric, filled with anticipation and excitement to see both teams compete with all the build-up around. But, what's going to be more exciting to see and feel are those small spells of competing talents and the contests within with the crowd going behind their favourites in cheers and banters. 

Stuart Broad and David Warner

• Given David Warner's recent bad form, he obviously will be expected to gain it back and provide a solid start.
• As he plans to retire after the 2025 Ashes in Australia, he would want to end it on a high before his retirement.
• Broad, on the other hand, will take on the opening batters with the new ball. Having dismissed Warner 14 times in 26 Tests, Broad has an upper hand with Warner having just a single ton in 34 innings.

The next chapter of the Broad vs Warner #Ashes contest could get interesting 🔥 pic.twitter.com/FIMP1TdPXh

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 16, 2023

• Broad has already created problems for the left-hander in 2019 dismissing him 7 times in 10 innings.
• Broad had already acknowledged enjoying the "great battle" against Warner. "I've had to work hard to expose any kind of chink in his armour because he's been so dangerous," said the pacer.

Jonny Bairstow and Mitchell Starc

• Jonny Bairstow, one of the finest messengers of the bazball approach, has shown promising batting performance in the last home season with 681 runs, with the help of 4 centuries, with an average over 75 and a strike-rate of almost 100.
• Starc, on the other hand, has dismissed Bairstow 9 times in Tests, more than any other bowler, and will be looking to tease the batter in the next encounter they have.

Steve Smith and Stuart Broad 

• Smith, who's off late going through a purple patch will love to continue doing what he does the best. Scoring runs!
• He's the only Australian batter currently playing to be among the top ten run-getters in the Ashes. Moreover, the guy has 144, 142, 92, 211, 82, 80, and 23 in his last Ashes appearance away from home.

Only one active player in the top ten 👇

Steve Smith #Ashes pic.twitter.com/wGRZ3c0T0H

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 16, 2023

• Although Broad hasn't consistently dominated Smith, he holds the record for dismissing Smith the most times (9) in Tests. In favourable English conditions, it will be fascinating to see how the match-up takes shape.

Nathan Lyon and Ben Stokes

• The middle-overs would see both Lyon and Stokes facing each other. The first test's surface at Edgbaston looks on the drier side could make Lyon even more impactful.
• By now, it's known that off-spinners including R Ashwin have caused problems for the English captains he fell to off-spinners 41 times in 100 innings in the past.
• The fact that Lyon's big chunk of test wickets is that of the against southpaws, 172 precisely, he wouldn't let go of the chance to get the prized scalp of the captain.

Squads

Australia (first two Test matches): Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner

England: Ben Stokes (c), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

The Ashes fixtures

The sun rises at Edgbaston ahead of the opening day of the #Ashes. #BBCCricket pic.twitter.com/yz8iHayJ0U

— Test Match Special (@bbctms) June 16, 2023

• 1st Test: June 16 - June 20,  Edgbaston.
• 2nd Test: June 28 - July 2, Lord’s.
• 3rd Test: July 6 - July 10,  Headingley.
• 4th Test: July 19 - July 23, Old Trafford.
• 5thth Test: July 27 - July 31, The Oval.

Where to watch in India

• Sony Sports 5 and Sony Sports 5 HD and SonyLIV app, 3.30 PM(IST) onwards.