Shove aside the post-World Cup melodrama; the greatest battle in the sports’ pinnacle format has taken center stage. The fever of the Ashes has encircled the United Kingdom as Cricketing fraternity to move on from the World Cup memoirs and savor the platinum standard Test Cricket that they will be witnessing in a day’s time.

England’s campaign to regain the urn start at Fortress Edgbaston, if rightly put. The results they have there are quite staggering, to begin with. They are yet to lose a single Test match in Birmingham’s haven since 2008 and have won 11 games in all formats on the bounce. Safe to say, Edgbaston has been a happy hunting ground for the hosts for more than a decade now. As for Australia, they have had their share of miserable moments at the iconic venue. Stunningly, they haven’t emerged out victorious in any format at the Edgbaston since 2001. The fortunes look ripe, as far as England will be concerned but recent form and results predict otherwise. 

England have been dreadful in the longest format for quite a while now. Still riding high on their historic maiden World Cup triumph, England need to realize that nothing will matter when they face off against an ominous looking Australian side and when the onus is on them to regain the Ashes in their own backyard. Added in this the fact that Australian haven’t returned from England with the remnants of the Ashes since 2001 and they are raring to bring about a topsy-turvy change. 

There were speculations that the English skipper, Joe Root, might finally elevate himself into the top-order and after a lot of rumors, it has been decided that Root, indeed, will bat at no. 3. That suggests yet another shuffle in England’s top-three, something we have got accustomed to seeing since the last two years or so. 

The home side’s warm-up game against Ireland will leave a lot of questions regarding not only the make-up of the team but the strength of the batting line-up after they were bowled out for just 85 in their first innings. That quickly changed, though, as they had their little vengeance: bowling out Ireland for an incredible 38 in the fourth innings. The problems with the batting line, though, still persist and the constant tingling with the batting order might make it more fragile rather than stabilize it. In any case, Australia’s trio of pacers will be itching to bowl at this shaky English batting line. 

England have named their XI for the first Ashes Test at Edgbaston, with Jofra Archer, Sam Curran and Olly Stone the players to be excluded from the initial 14-man squad that was announced earlier. Jimmy Anderson, who was nursing a calf injury, has been declared fully fit and has been included with Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes completing the pace battery. 

England Playing XI: Rory Burns, Jason Roy, Joe Root (c), Joe Denly, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

The batting order undoubtedly remains the biggest question mark for Australia as well despite the return of the once villainous trio from the Newlands scandal: Cameron Bancroft, David Warner and Steve Smith. Bancroft has had a stellar run with the bat since his comeback, much like his other two fellows. He stormed into contention for the opener's slot after an unbeaten 93 in the pre-Ashes warm-up on a trough that most batsmen found quite demonic. The positive energy and enthusiasm that he carries around the team is well appreciated by both his fellows as well as the national selectors. 

Australia suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Indians in their previous home summer but quickly managed to make some amends by overhauling a Sri Lankan side. The return of the trio and the general betterment in the team’s morale, though, has really bolstered the environment around the squad. At the start of the year, the prospect that Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood might miss out in the playing XI despite being fully fit seemed quite frantic. However, such is the team’s bowling riches that it is almost certain that either of Starc or Hazlewood or even both will be sitting out for the first Test as Edgbaston. Australian management have announced that Pat Cummins and James Pattinson will be spearheading the bowling attack which might as well include the in-form Peter Siddle, too. 

Australia are yet to announce their playing XI for the Ashes-opener. Warner, who suffered a bruise on his thigh while batting in the nets, has been deemed totally fit for the Edgbaston Test. There was a slight injury scare for the Aussies when he slumped to the ground and limped off the field after being fit. There will be significant pressure on Usman Khawaja to finally deliver on English pitches as he himself just recovered from an injury that ruled him out of the World Cup semi-final against the arch-rivals. 

Australia’s squad for the 1st Ashes Test: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Patrick Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.