Five-match Ashes series to start at Edgbaston, Birmingham

England is all set to host Australia for a five-match Ashes Test series starting today. The first test will start at 0330 PM IST today at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Ben Stokes will be leading England while Pat Cummins will captain Australia in the historic series.

The Ashes is one of the oldest and most storied rivalries in sport, but this year promises to be extra special. Since losing 4-0 when these sides last met down under 18 months ago, England have undergone a thrilling transformation under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.

The hosts look to extend Bazball dominance over arch-rivals and Test champions Australia. A match preview from our sports desk

England, under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, are being attributed to revolutionising Test cricket in the modern-era. They are playing a fearless brand of cricket under the name of Bazball that has made the fans fall in love with red-ball cricket all over again. The soul of the approach is simple.

Play a blinding fast brand of cricket, dazzle and destroy the opponent. Aggression is combined with ambition; supreme self-expression is blended with self-belief. To go by the records, the method has been unbelievably successful as England have won 11 of the Tests under McCullum.

Four of those victories came when chasing an excess of 250 runs in the fourth innings.

No side has maintained as stirring run rates as the Bazballers have, Even Steve Waugh’s Invincible team failed to maintain that run rate, However. Australia has a very effective pace quartet, led by captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood. Besides the inclusion of Scott Boland will add an extra fang to the Australian pace attack. So it will be a lip-smacking test series.