Panesar hopes Ben Stokes and England play strategic mind games with Steve Smith

The oldest cricket rivalry in the world will be reignited this month as England are set to travel to Australia for the 74th edition of the Ashes. They haven’t held the prestigious urn since 2015, and Ben Stokes captains a side that is under pressure to deliver.

The hosts have difficulties of their own, from missing captain Pat Cummins to an unsure top order and an ageing bowling attack.

We sat down with former England spinner Monty Panesar to discuss the two nations’ preparations, their form and the mind games that the visitors must play.

England, Ben Stokes and the British media have to get into Steve Smith’s head

With Pat Cummins out injured, Steve Smith will take the reins as Australia’s captain in the first Test in Perth. He infamously stepped down from captaincy during the 2017-18 Test series against South Africa due to a ball-tampering scandal involving him, then vice-captain David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. “Sandpapergate”, as it’s known today, is a major blemish on Smith’s illustrious career, and Panesar has urged Stokes to play mind games and disorient Smith.

"Steve Smith has said that he plays better when he's the captain. His record is pretty good even after the scandal."

"But this is where you have to be strategic. We've seen Steve Waugh play that mental disintegration game with English players in the 90s and early 2000s."

"Ben Stokes and the England team have got to make Steve Smith feel guilty and play on that. Say something like, 'I don't think it's ethical that he's the captain, I don't think he played the game fairly.'"

"Really get into him and make him feel guilty about it. Make him feel like. 'they're probably right, I shouldn't be here, I shouldn't be doing this.'"

"It could be a strategic masterstroke by Ben Stokes if they get into Steve Smith's head. They say, 'look, we're getting the ball to swing guys and we're not even using sandpaper and you're missing it, what's going on?'"

Panesar has also appealed to the British media to put pressure on Australia because, in his view, if it were the other way round, the Aussies would do the same.

"Things like that get into his head because the Australians would do the same. If it was the opposite, the Australian media would be all over it. They would have said, if it was any of the English players, 'the cheaters have arrived'. Right? This is where the UK media must also focus and put pressure. Use it as a way to help England."

"I hope that England uses it as an advantage and don't just get quiet about it because we know he bats well when he's captaining Australia."

The Baggy Greens are the favourites, but Bazball has the potential to derail them

While ex-players and pundits have played up England’s chances, Panesar’s view is that they have a slim chance of winning in Australia. England are currently priced at 15/8, and if you need those odds converted, you can use our free bet calculator to do so.

The home field advantage is very strong for the Baggy Greens, as seen in the past record. He adds, however, that Bazball could disorient the Australians as they’ve never faced a team like that before.

"Well let's be honest, England have won the Ashes in Australia only five times since World War II. So let's be realistic, it is a slim chance."

"The advantage that England have is that Bazball could completely derail Australia because they've never had a team that's come to Australia and go out six-seven an over."

"The potential in the pace attack. It's raw, it's new, it's inexperienced. They could rise to the challenge with an unsettled Australian top order."

Panesar continues saying that an Ashes win would be the ultimate validation for England coach Brendon McCullum’s trademark style of Test cricket and cement his legacy.

"Winning the Ashes would be the ultimate validation for Bazball. It'll cement a legacy for them, winning the Ashes with the style of cricket that they're playing and I think it could be a defining moment for Test cricket. It would be a huge win, in an unconventional manner the way England plays."

"I think it would probably silence all critics. To win in Australia, with the Bazball style, would be the biggest accolade for this style."

"But overall, let's look at it. Australia, they've got an ageing attack which is experienced. They know what they're doing, they're very good at that. They've got a settled core of players, they've got home advantage. Everyone knows, Australia are favourites to win the Ashes."

England should have played a Test in New Zealand

Ben Stokes’ side recently concluded a tour of New Zealand, where they posted a T20I win but got whitewashed in the three-match ODI series that followed. That scheduling decision has come under criticism as the last Test series they played was back in the summer against India.

Panesar is of the belief that Stokes’ men should have played at least one Test in New Zealand, as it could have been good practice for the team. He echoes the fear that this decision could come back to bite England once the first Test kicks off in Perth.

"England played a high intensity Test series against India. That was probably good preparation but then also, building up close to the Ashes, you probably think it's better to play Test matches in New Zealand. It's a mental preparation, helps in acclimatising to different conditions. You get back into red ball rhythm and playing with the Kookaburra ball."

"That would have been ideal and having the lack of a high intensity red ball match, coming into the Ashes could be a factor that could bite them."

"Going into the Ashes, in my opinion, there's a lack of preparation. You're playing ODI cricket, a different format. I think we all can agree that they should have played a Test match cause it helps with the mental preparation, even if they lost. It's the mental preparation going into the Ashes, they could have seen that as a practice match."

He gives the benefit of the doubt to Brendon McCullum and the English side, however, as their unconventional methods have given results.

"I think they should have played a Test match. They would have been better prepared but they obviously have unconventional methods in their preparation that is why they created Bazball. Probably one of the reasons why they feel ready to play."

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