Ashes 2023 series between England (ENG) and Australia (AUS) at Edgbaston begins on June 16. The last time when these two sides met in Australia, the hosts had defeated England 4-0 in the five-match series. Now, the onus is on England to fill in for that one-sided series in 2021. 

Under a new coach Brendon McCullum and a new skipper Ben Stokes, the team has adopted a brand new philosophy called ‘Bazball.’ However, it needs to be seen if that philosophy comes good against a rampaging Australia, which had beaten India in the WTC Final.

Key Players for Australia in Ashes 2023 1st Test

Australia comes into the match after their 209-run win over India in the WTC Final. This means they have a well-settled squad at their disposal. A squad that already has exposure to these conditions. 

• On a pitch like Edgbaston, they have pacers like Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Scott Boland who can seam and swing the red cherry. 
• Moreover, the batting looks solid. Against India, it was centuries from Travis Head and Steve Smith which changed the match in Australia’s favor. Against England, these two will again hold the key. 
• Meanwhile, the likes of David Warner and Marnus Labuscghagne can also turn the tables for Australia since the duo is very dangerous and can turn things around with the bat.

Key Players for England in Ashes 2023 1st Test

When it comes to England, the Bazball philosophy had done wonders until they arrived in New Zealand this year where they drew the series 1-1. However, since McCullum has taken over last year in 2022, England has been a force to reckon with where they have played 12 Test matches, winning all ten.

• The team relies heavily on skipper and all-rounder Ben Stokes. The man has led from the front with bat and ball. Moreover, Jonny Bairstow has completely undergone a change when it comes to his batting. 
• Also, watch out for middle-order star Harry Brook, who despite a poor IPL, would like to bounce back. He has brought a fresh impetus to the middle order. His bombastic style will definitely help England in the middle phase of the game. 
• Don’t count out former skipper Joe Root who can hunker down in the middle, leading to massive individual scores of his own.

ENG vs AUS Head to Head in Ashes (Overall)

Both the teams have played 356 Test matches, while England has won 110, Australia won 150.

Last Five Encounters

Here, we take a look at the last five matches these teams have played:

Date	Winner	Margin	Player of the Match
Jan 14, 2022	AUS	Won by 146 Runs	Travis Head
Jan 5, 2022	Draw	Draw	Usman Khawaja
Dec 26, 2021	AUS	Won by inns by 14 runs	Scott Boland
Dec 16, 2021	AUS	Won by 275 Runs	Marnus Labuscghagne
Dec 8, 2021	AUS	Won by 9 wickets	Travis Head

Eng vs Aus Ashes 2023 Stats

Here’s a look at the key Ashes 2023 stats of Aus and Eng players: 

• Top Run-scorer: Don Bradman- 5028 runs (Aus); Jacob Hobbs –  3636 runs (ENG)

• Most Wickets: Shane Warne – 195 wickets (Aus); Stuart Broad – 131 wickets (Eng)

• Most Catches: Ian Botham – 52 sixes (Eng); Allan Border – 51 sixes (Aus)

Probable Best Batter & Bowler

Travis Head and James Anderson could be the best batter and best bowler.

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Aus v Eng – Who Will Win the first test of Ashes 2023? 

Australia looks favorite since they come into the match after winning the WTC Final against India. But, here it must be noted that England has the home advantage and can push Australia further in this match.