Australia - Road to Redemption post the Ashes

Now coming to their future, the Ashes may already be lost (for not too long ?), but another one is scheduled for the year end as England travel to Australia to retain the urn.

So, in order to earn redemption, Australia are not going to have to wait for too long. But there is still one more Test left to be played on the English shores before the hosts become tourists and vice-versa.

Australia need to give a final push in the last Test to achieve some kind of momentum to get back to track

Going by current form, it will take a miracle for the Australians to pull off a win and end their current losing streak, which stands at 7 in last 8 Tests. If they could somehow win at The Oval, they will avoid falling below Pakistan to No.5 and get that much needed morale booster that they need desperately.

Post the Ashes, there will be a limited-over leg of the tour as the two rivals would battle it out in two T20s and 5 ODIs plus a one-off ODI between Scotland and Australia.

This is where things could get interesting as despite all their recent troubles, Australia is more than capable of beating England on their own turf in ODIs. Yes, England were runners up in the last-ever ICC Champions Trophy while Australia went out winless in the same tournament but when in one-dayers, even a depleted Aussie side can give their full-strength English counterparts a rude awakening.

And yes, the last time Australia lost an Ashes series in England, they routed their hosts 6-1 in the one-day series, then went on to win the Champions Trophy, and defeated India in India even with a second-string side. And once again they are scheduled to travel to India for a one-day series with an almost second string side.

Does everything not sound eerily similar to what transpired four years ago? Plus, most members of the limited overs side won’t be short of match practice with the majority playing the Ashes and some having played the ‘A’ team tri-series in South Africa where they finished as runners-up to India A.

Although the two T20s precede the Scotland ODI, this is where, as I like to put it, ‘Road to Redemption’ starts for Australia.

I may be looking too much ahead. But at the time of writing, Australian batsmen have unsurprisingly, failed to impress against the England Lions.

One more Test is left to play, and they will have to reproduce their Old Trafford magic to stand any chance of winning. And if they can’t, this ‘Road to Redemption’ will end in disaster for sure.