Ashes regains stature as the best encounter

I have played in Ashes encounters for more than a decade now, but the hype before this one is something else.

There have been expert opinions flying around, thousands of England fans have been thronging Brisbane, and now the players are getting sick of the wait and wanting to go out and play cricket.

Cricket fans in India would still prefer an India-Pakistan confrontation, but the discerning spectator will concede that at this moment, the Ashes has regained its position as cricket's greatest encounter.

The India-Pakistan game is still fierce and intense, but over the last two years, the frequency has taken the edge away from the contest.

Simultaneously, England's huge performance at home last year, coupled with their emergence as the second best team in Test cricket has re-ignited interest in the oldest rivalry in the game.

Starting today, both teams will have to live up to the expectations of fans not only in England and Australia, but also the neutral spectator who expects a repeat of the classic contests of 2005.

For English fans, the fact that their team has underachieved over the last 12 months will be a cause for concern.

The team has been beset with injury problems. The result is that three crucial members of the side - Michael Vaughan, Marcus Trescothick, and Simon Jones - are out of action.

Andrew Flintoff is also coming back from injury, while Ian Bell is a doubtful starter. Bell was not seen at practice yesterday, and the news from the English camp concerning him was not too good.

The Gabba has always been a surface on which pacers have done well. It will be crucial for his side that Flintoff hits the straps straight away, especially since Jones is not there.

The England captain hardly bowled in the Champions Trophy, so there is still a question mark over his bowling at the moment.

We will not have the services of Shane Watson for the first Test, but we are convinced that his bowling will be a bonus for us during this series.

He is also a technically sound batsman who has an average of almost 50 in first-class cricket, so I feel that when he is fit, he will add a new dimension to the side.

Many commentators are not convinced of his all-round credentials, and don't rate him highly as a bowler. I would not like to react to those commentators since they tend to base their opinions on the basis of one or two ODI performance rather than any serious long-term evidence.

-Gameplan