With the Ashes set to begin in Australia in just a month, former England captain Michael Vaughan, legendary Australian pacer Glenn McGrath, and ex-England spinner Phil Tufnell have debated who would make a combined XI from both sides, weighing the likes of Joe Root against Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc versus Mark Wood.
Opening options debated
For the top order, England’s Zak Crawley was preferred over Sam Konstas. Vaughan highlighted Crawley’s impact ability and familiarity with Australian conditions, while McGrath and Tufnell also backed him for his attitude and potential match-winning innings. Similarly, Ben Duckett edged out Usman Khawaja for his all-around skill and aggressive style, though McGrath noted Khawaja’s experience against spin.
Middle-order battles
The head-to-head between Cameron Green and Ollie Pope saw mixed opinions, with Vaughan favoring Green’s all-round abilities, Tufnell leaning toward Pope, and McGrath acknowledging Green’s value if fully fit. The classic clash of Steve Smith versus Joe Root was settled in favor of Smith due to his prolific record in Australia, despite Vaughan praising Root’s overall achievements. Harry Brook was chosen over Travis Head by Vaughan and Tufnell for his flair and match-changing potential, while McGrath admitted it was a close call.
All-rounders and keepers
England’s Ben Stokes took the nod over Australia’s Beau Webster, praised by all three experts for his leadership and game-changing ability. For the wicketkeeper slot, Jamie Smith was preferred over Alex Carey, despite Carey’s consistency, due to Smith’s high ceiling and potential to dominate games.
Pace and spin supremacy
The pace attack featured a clean sweep of top Australian bowlers: Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, with Jofra Archer missing out. Spin duties went to Nathan Lyon, hailed as world-class and unmatched in the English side. Vaughan, McGrath, and Tufnell all stressed the ability of these bowlers to control matches in Australian conditions.
Reader verdicts
BBC Sport readers leaned heavily toward England, picking seven English players and four Australians in their combined XI. Ben Stokes dominated the poll with 98% of votes over Beau Webster, while Cameron Green narrowly beat Ollie Pope with 66%.
The countdown to the Ashes begins, and this combined XI highlights the key battles to watch, from star batters to game-changing bowlers, as both nations aim for supremacy down under.
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