ATK
New Delhi [India], June 28: The Ashes thrill began from Edgbaston with the sensational victory of Australia over archrival England. As predicted by cricket pundits, Australia bounced back from the relatively tight position in the first inning as Usmaan Khwaja scored 141 and 65 and Pat Cummins did the wonder with the ball, scalping 4 in just 18 overs. It seems the English captain heard what the cricketing genius Kevin Pietersen said about aggressive play as the captain declared the inning at a healthy score of 393 in 78 overs expecting some early wickets in the late evening.
Aggression and More Aggression: Winning Mantra
Words coming from a man with a record of winning four Ashes out of six he played must find some room in the dressing room, as Kevin Pietersen said, "The way to beat Australia is to go into combat mode and attack."
Recalling the aggressive approach taken in the 2005 Edgbaston test, Kevin said, "Our England team approached that match in combat mode. We were going to attack Australia from ball one."
As the days progressed, England was in a relatively stronger position, as against the predictions, until day-4, when Australia successfully managed to limit the English team below 300.
"When you fight fire with fire against Australia, you have a way better chance than being tactical, pragmatic, and slow," Kevin wrote in his blog adding, "You've really got to take the attack to them."
Kevin wrote that the England team must not change the aggressive playing and they must "go out against Australia from ball one".
Emphasizing the aggressive strategy against Australia, he says, "It's how we beat Australia in 2005 and started that transformation in English cricket," in his blog.
Australia: A Proper Side
The team Australia is definitely the hot favorite, as the team is perfectly balanced with in-form batsmen, aggressive bowlers, and most importantly strong tail to defend even unwinnable matches. Echoing the same, Piteresen wrote, "As combative and as aggressive as you want to be, this Australian team is actually very, very good."
On the powerful OZ bowling attack he wrote that Scotty Boland, his Melbourne Stars buddy, is a proper bowler and it isn't easy to start smacking him. The squad of Cummins, Stark, Hazzlewood, and high-quality spinners is fully capable of scalping any batting lineup, including the English team on home turf. It became quite clear at the end of the day-5, that one cannot take OZ bowlers lightly.
On the batting strength of the Australian squad, he wrote, "Smith, Labuschagne, Warner, Head, Carey are no mugs."
"Cameron Green batting at six, he is a proper cricketer," he writes adding that this Australia side has some serious quality.
English Challenge
Emphasizing his strategy of aggressive playing with lots of positivity, he says "This needs players that are good enough to be able to do that."
On the weakness of the England team he writes, "His main concern is that players aren't good enough" adding, "One, two, and three aren't good enough to play that way against what Australia have in the bowling department."
On the possibility of the English team winning the Ashes this time, he writes, "I really hope they prove me wrong, but this could be career-defining for them as batters."
Emphasizing his oft-repeated advice "Batters get you sponsorships and bowlers win you championships" he wrote adding, "but I just think that you've got to get those runs."
Highlighting the need for absolute fitness, both physical and mental, for highly tensed series like Ashes, he writes that poor level of fitness is his other major concern.
"Broad and Anderson can't play five Test matches in six or seven weeks," writes Pietersen adding that Ben is bowling but definitely not well enough for this Australia batting lineup.
Moeen Better for England
Pietersen believes Moen Ali, who scored 19 and 18 and scaled 3 wickets in the first test, make the team better and he is one bright light for England.
"Moeen Ali does the same job with the ball and is an attacking batsman who can come in and change the course of a Test match in a single session," he writes in his blog.
Possible Ashes Outcome
Team composition and momentum make Australia a hot favorite to win the 2023 Ashes. Chances of 2005-type transformative cricket are very minimal in 2023, but Pietersen believes England can still do much better than what people are predicting, as of now.
With this victory, Australia is already ahead both in terms of score and psychology, but the England team really fought better than what cricket pundits were expecting. Experts might be questioning Ben's declaration, but that's the beauty of the thrilling Ashes series where the unexpected happens.
On possible Ashes outcome, he writes, "My heart, of course, wants England to win. But I think that the team Australia has a very good chance."
As most experts are saying that it is just about, whether England will be able to win one or two games and Pietersen wants 3-2 England, but he fears it might be 4-1 Australia.
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