Former Australian skipper Mark Taylor has identified England's batting and rotation bowling arsenic its imaginable Achilles heel, after the 17-man squad was named for this summer's tour.
Captained by Joe Root, it's a adjacent full-strength squad, with Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes the notable omissions.
Taylor's one-time Ashes rival, Mike Atherton, described the squad arsenic "uninspiring", but noted successful his file for The Times that Australia faces overmuch the aforesaid issue.
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"It is not the strongest squad England person taken to Australia — nor is it the weakest," helium wrote.
"Australia mightiness beryllium truthful described arsenic well.
"Any doubts implicit England's prospects are tempered to immoderate grade by the doubts successful Australia's camp, wherever overmuch rests connected the signifier of Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, and the fittingness of the main 3 accelerated bowlers: Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc."
Even contempt the lack of Archer and Stokes, Taylor pointed retired that England's fast-bowling radical looks to person plentifulness of depth.
The ever contiguous James Anderson and Stuart Broad are joined by Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, Craig Overton and Mark Wood.
"It's astir apt the strongest squad they could pick, and the accelerated bowling looks beauteous bully to me," helium told Wide World of Sports.
"They're going to conflict successful 2 areas. I'm not definite astir their rotation bowling, and evidently the batting is going to beryllium perchance their Achilles heel.
"I didn't caput the look of Ollie Robinson against India. I'm lone judging based connected what I saw connected TV successful the wintertime conscionable gone, but he's a large gangly bloke, hits the platform hard, if helium gets it close successful Australian conditions I deliberation he'll inquire immoderate questions.
"He's not overly experienced, but if he's bowling down immoderate accordant performances from the likes of Broad, Anderson oregon Woakes, they've got the imaginable to instrumentality 20 wickets."
Taylor flagged the anticipation that England volition rotate their speedy bowlers done the series, successful overmuch the aforesaid mode that Australia did successful 2019, wherever Pat Cummins was the lone accelerated bowler to play each 5 matches.
"They've got six quicks to take from, truthful I fishy you'll spot immoderate rotation, but if they triumph astatine the Gabba they mightiness beryllium reluctant to bash so," helium explained.
"England's champion broadside astir apt includes some Anderson and Broad, and possibly including Woakes arsenic an all-rounder they mightiness beryllium capable to play 4 quicks."
The erstwhile Australian skipper stressed that England's quicks volition beryllium expected to instrumentality the immense bulk of wickets this summer.
England rotation bowlers person enjoyed a little than stellar clip of it successful Australia implicit the years, with Moeen Ali's 5 wickets successful the 2017-18 bid costing 115 apiece.
"The left-arm rotation of Leach, helium showed successful 2019 helium tin surely bash a job, successful presumption of keeping it quiet, and that's what England spinners thin to bash successful Australia," Taylor explained.
"There's nary uncertainty Australia, with Nathan Lyon, person an vantage successful the rotation department.
"Leach's job, oregon Dom Bess if that's the mode they go, volition beryllium to support it choky portion the quicks prime up the wickets."
Of the squad lone Root boasts a Test batting mean implicit 40, which Taylor said was a "big concern".
"They're going to request Rory Burns to play similar helium did successful 2019," helium explained.
"He's not the astir orthodox looking player, but he's pugnacious minded, helium knows his limitations and helium plays to that. He won't beryllium casual to get out.
"The 1 affirmative for England is that Joe Root is astir apt successful the champion signifier of his vocation close now, he's made six hundreds already this year."
The 2019 bid turned connected the performances of Stokes, who made 441 runs astatine 55, and besides chipped successful with 8 wickets.
"His lack is massive, there's nary uncertainty he's the biggest loss, overmuch bigger than Jofra Archer," Taylor said.
"You look astatine 2019, if Stokes doesn't play, oregon doesn't play arsenic well, Australia astir apt wins 3-0, oregon adjacent 4-0.
"That's the benignant of interaction helium has, he's the benignant of feline who tin alteration a crippled batting astatine 5 oregon six, and it's the aforesaid with the ball."
Taylor, who captained Australia to Ashes wins successful 1994-95, 1997 and 1998-99, wouldn't beryllium drawn connected a bid result, but noted that the opening lucifer of the bid volition beryllium crucial.
"It's the aforesaid happening that we speech astir whenever a touring broadside comes here, they request to commencement good astatine the Gabba," helium explained.
"Australia volition commencement favourites, but they request to look astatine however they tin amended from what happened against India past summer.
"I don't deliberation Australia is simply a shoe-in, though they'll commencement short-priced favourites."
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