Glenn McGrath backed Australia to whitewash England 5-0 in the five-match Test series later this year, with the coveted Ashes urn at stake. The legendary Australian seamer made his trademark prediction, taking confidence from Australia’s strong bowling attack in home conditions.
The high-voltage Test series will get underway on November 21. This is going to be Australia’s first home series in the 2025-2027 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. England will travel Down Under, hoping to end an abysmal recent record – they have not won a Test in Australia since the 2010-11 series, when Andrew Strauss led them to a memorable 3-1 victory. Since then, they have endured two whitewashes (2006-07 and 2013-14) and a 4-0 defeat in the 2017-18 season.
Glenn McGrath believes that Ben Stokes and Co.
will find it very difficult to cope with the experienced bowling attack of Australia, comprising Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon.
“It’s very rare for me to make a prediction, isn’t it? And I can’t make a different one – 5-0. I’m very confident with our team. When you’ve got Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon firing in their home conditions, it’s going to be pretty tough. Plus, that track record England have had, it’d be interesting to see if they can win a Test,” McGrath told BBC Radio 5 Live, sticking to a tradition he has rarely digressed from.
Australia have started their WTC campaign for the current cycle on a memorable note, beating the West Indies 3-0 in the Caribbean in June-July. England, on the other hand, drew the five-match home Test series against India 2-2.
While England fought back to secure a thrilling 2-2 draw in the 2023 Ashes at home, they have not held the urn since 2015. With the contest returning to the quicker, bouncier tracks of Australia, McGrath is backing the Pat Cummins-led side to come out all guns blazing and dominate the Three Lions.
India
