Ashes countdown: 4 storylines to watch ahead of Australia-England

Australia and England lock horns once again starting Nov. 21. The latest Ashes series starts in Perth before further Tests in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney will determine which country has bragging rights in one of sports' greatest rivalries.

Will Cummins be fit?

Pat Cummins is likely to miss at least one Ashes Test due to a stress injury in his back. His expected absence will be a big loss for Australia, depriving the team of his incredible on-field leadership and the skills of one of the finest fast bowlers ever to grace the game. Cummins isn't a prolific batter, but he has a knack for eking out crucial runs near the end of the order. The 32-year-old heroically scored an unbeaten 44, including the winning runs, in one of the all-time great Ashes Tests at Edgbaston in 2023.

Steve Smith would presumably step up as captain in Cummins' absence. He's led the Aussies in the past and regularly guides the field when Cummins is bowling.

As for filling the bowling void, Scott Boland appears to be in pole position to play in Perth. The 36-year-old seamer is fit and firing and became the 10th Australian to claim a Test hat-trick in July when the West Indies team was restricted to a paltry second-inning total of 27 runs in Jamaica. But there could be a late dash into the lineup for the uncapped Fergus O'Neill, who should be on the Australian selectors' radar after some tremendous displays on the domestic scene.

Ollie's time might be up

England's decision in September to oust Ollie Pope as vice-captain and appoint the supremely talented Harry Brook as Ben Stokes' second-in-command signaled the possibility of a shakeup to the batting order. Wicketkeeper Pope isn't spectacular at the crease, passing the half-century mark only twice in the summer series against India, and now his status as England's No. 3 batter is under threat from Jacob Bethell.

Bethell, 21, is better aligned to the optimistic and daring approach - commonly known as Bazball - preferred by head coach Brendon McCullum and Stokes. Currently auditioning in New Zealand for Pope's place with the white ball, Bethell didn't have his best performance in the opening outing of his trial. The left-hander logged just 15 runs before top-edging a steepler back to Kiwi bowler Matt Henry in Saturday's T20 international.

Even if Bethell smashes the ball around in Auckland during Thursday's third T20 and then impresses in the ODIs later in October, his selection over Pope would still represent a risk given his inexperience and how late in the day England might make this change.

Aussies' top order slowly getting solved

One of the biggest concerns about Australia is that its lineup doesn't boast the same consistency as it has in the lead-up to most Ashes series, especially compared to past victorious campaigns. There have notably been question marks over the top of the batting order, but the picture is gradually getting clearer.

Usman Khawaja appears to have a stronger hold on an opening spot over Sam Konstas despite both batters underwhelming during Australia's summer Tests in the Caribbean. And a hard-fought competition is brewing to find a partner for Khawaja, with Jake Weatherald, who's yet to represent Australia, using some of his recent performances to turn heads. While Marnus Labuschagne is a strong candidate to be the No. 3 batter after recording big numbers for Queensland, there are calls for him to be an opener with Khawaja.

Sledging and other mind games

The rivalry between Australia and England can be both hotheaded and hilarious, and some of the old boys have already traded barbs in the media.

Former Aussie opener David Warner recently predicted that his country would win the series 4-0, suggesting that England's commitment to Bazball would contribute to its downfall. Stuart Broad retorted by claiming Australia has its "worst" team since 2010, which was the last time England won an Ashes series Down Under. However, his forthright assessment may have been partly fueled by his roguish dedication to the bad-guy role. In 2013, Broad's level of villainy in Australia prompted a Brisbane-based newspaper to refuse to print his name, instead referring to him only as "the 27-year-old medium pace bowler."

Although the mind games between former players will continue, the intensity will rise once the first Test begins. Not only will the current players be more visible in the media, but the brutal yet quick-witted sledging will begin out on the field. Some of the insults traded between fielders and batters are box office.