England great claims Aussies have 'worst' Ashes team in 15 years – Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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Sport
Topic:Ashes
Stuart Broad has questioned the quality of Australia's squad ahead of the Ashes series. (Getty Images: Philip Brown)
Stuart Broad has questioned the quality of Australia's squad ahead of the men's Ashes series.
Broad believes England has its best chance of winning the Ashes in Australia since the 2010/11 series.
The first Ashes Test in Perth begins on November 21.
England great Stuart Broad has lit the fuse ahead of the men's Ashes series, saying Australia is set to field its "worst" team since 2010.
Speaking on the BBC's For the Love of Cricket podcast, Broad responded to David Warner's prediction that Australia would win the series 4-0.
Pat Cummins all but rules himself out of the first Ashes Test, saying he is still a way short of completing his condensed recovery schedule from a back injury.
Broad said there were "question marks" hovering over Australia's squad, particularly given the concerns surrounding captain Pat Cummins's fitness.
Cummins, who is dealing with a lower-back injury, has said he is "probably unlikely" to play in the first Test in Perth, which begins on November 21.
Broad said the Australian squad would not be as strong as those that claimed victory in the past three series on home soil.
England last won the Ashes in Australia in the 2010/11 series, when Broad played in two Tests.
"You wouldn't be outlandish in thinking – it's actually not an opinion, it's a fact – it's probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won and it's the best English team since 2010," he said.
D/N = day/night Test
"So those things match up to the fact it's going to be a brilliant Ashes series."
But Broad said Australia deserved to be considered the favourites.
"It's very, very difficult to win in Australia as an England side, or any side — it just is," he said.
"Australia have to be massive favourites. The question really was, 'Which team's under the most pressure?'
"Well, Australia are under the most pressure because they're expected to win.
"They're brilliant at home, but they've got question marks over their team and question marks over [the fitness of] captain [Pat Cummins]."
Stuart Broad took more than 600 wickets during his Test career. (Getty Images: Mike Egerton/PA)
Broad said England had its best chance to win the Ashes in Australia since its 3-1 triumph in the 2010/11 series.
"It's very much a similar situation to 2010/2011 when England went and won there," he said.
"The fact of the matter is Australia generally have to be bad to lose in Australia and England have to be very good.
"England have a great chance of being very good and Australia have a decent chance of being bad.
"I don't think anyone could argue that it's their weakest team since 2010 … it's just a fact."
Broad played 167 Tests for England, taking 604 wickets at an average of 27.68.
He finished his Test career in the 2023 Ashes series, which was drawn 2-2.
Australia has held the Ashes since winning the 2017/18 series.
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