England
captain Joe Root must convince his team they can win in Australia, even
if he has to “lie a bit and con” them, says former Ashes-winning
skipper Michael Vaughan.
Vaughan, speaking just over a week before
England depart, said Steve Smith’s Australians are still a formidable
side at home even though they are not the dominant force they once were.
The
tourists, who could be without talismanic all-rounder Ben Stokes, will
be desperate to avoid anything like the 5-0 drubbing handed out to them
last time they travelled Down Under in 2013-14 but there are questions
over the make-up of the side, particularly the top order.
“His (Root’s) greatest challenge is going to be to convince the team they can win,” said Vaughan.
“It
may be that he has to lie a bit and con them. He might have to blow up a
few tyres that might be flat and convince them they are good enough to
beat this Australian team.
“I don’t think it is right to go there
and talk down the Aussies. I’ve been around captains that do that and it
doesn’t work. It is worth saying they are good. They are not what they
were 20 years ago but they are dangerous and you know what they will
produce over five matches.”
Vaughan, who famously captained England
to a home Ashes triumph in 2005, ending 16 years of Australian
domination, said Root would have to convince his players that they could
not blitz the opposition into submission.
“I don’t see them blowing Australia away in three days,” said the former captain.
“They
will win over there by playing how they did in 2010-11, by scoring lots
of runs in the first innings, batting for periods of time, nullifying
good spells of bowling and not thinking ‘we are going to attack all the
time’.”
Root’s men, who are Ashes holders after winning at home in
2015, will start their campaign in the notoriously hostile arena of the
Gabba in Brisbane on November 23
They may be without Stokes, who will
not be on the flight out on October 28, though no final decision has
been taken on his involvement in the series.
The Test vice-captain
was arrested in September on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm and
suspended from internationals until further notice following an
apparent fight outside a nightclub.
The powerful all-rounder, who was
released without charge but remains under investigation, was included
in the Ashes squad despite reportedly injuring his hand in the incident
that led to his arrest.
Vaughan, speaking at the launch of BT Sport’s
Ashes coverage in London in his capacity as a pundit, admitted that if
Stokes were missing, it would be a huge boost for the opposition.
“I am sure Australia respect a lot of our players but the one they fear the most is not going to be there,” he said.
“I’ve
not seen too many celebrations from the Australians but I am sure in
private they have cracked open a few bottles. If (batsman David) Warner
was injured next week and out of the Ashes I am sure you would find the
England players celebrating.
“It is not disrespecting Alastair Cook
but I would say Stokes is England’s second best player with the bat.
With the ball he is erratic at times but he has an impact.
“In the
field you know he will produce something. More importantly it is his
mindset. I watch England walk out on the field and when Stokes is in the
team they walk out two inches taller. If he is not there in Brisbane
you would have to say the Australians are clear favourites to win the
series.”
England have lost two of their past three tours in Australia 5-0, either side of their 3-1 win in 2010/11.
Following the Brisbane opener, they play further Tests in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.
File photo of Joe Root celebrating winning the Ashes in 2015.