When you compare the best Australian team I played in and this England side there is surprisingly little to choose between some individuals.

It is hard to make direct comparisons because my teammates all played about 80-100 Tests each whereas some of these England guys have only featured in 20 or 30. But this group of England players could become better than all those Australian players as a team and as individuals. All the signs are good for England. They have all the ingredients in place to dominate.

In Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook they have solidity. Batsmen such as Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan add unorthodoxy, variety and quick scoring.

Then look at the bowlers. They can stick to and execute plans brilliantly. But they also bat well. They score fast and their bowling has variety. James Anderson, Tim Bresnan and Stuart Broad are all good fielders too. They are athletic guys who are intense in the field. There is no weak link.

The best Australian team I played in was probably during the early 2000s. If you compare head-to-head this England team and that Australian side there are very few clear-cut decisions on several players.

Australia opened with Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer. Hayden was a dominant, fast-scoring player. Strauss is more solid and dependable, but an opening batsman is there to set the tone therefore you would have to pick Hayden.

As for Langer or Alastair Cook the Englishman wins. JL made 20 Test hundreds, but Cook is a better player, who at 26 shows a desire for scoring runs beyond his years.

The one easy call is between Ricky Ponting at No. 3 ahead of Jonathan Trott. At four it is a really tough choice. Mark Waugh or Kevin Pietersen? I saw Mark play some fantastic innings for Australia. But Pietersen, at his best, can win you a game in a session. It is too close to call between those two. Damien Martyn versus Ian Bell. They are very similar players. At six Eoin Morgan challenges Steve Waugh. I have to lean towards Steve Waugh but in time Morgan could become a better player. Matt Prior is a better wicketkeeper than Adam Gilchrist. As batsmen you would have to say Gilchrist. Stuart Broad and Jason Gillespie share characteristics. Finally we had Glenn McGrath. England have Anderson. He is best fast bowler in the world at the moment.

— The Telegraph Group Limited, London 2011