Ashes 2023, 1st Test: Here is the statistical preview
England and Australia will fight again for the prestigious urn as the five-match Ashes series is set to get underway on June 16. The 2023 edition with take place in England and an exciting contest is on the cards. Both sides are studded with match-winners and experienced stars. Hence, several records can be made and broken. Here is the statistical preview of the opener.
A look at the head-to-head record
Overall, the two teams have clashed in 356 Test matches, and Australia are ahead of their rivals by a decent margin. The Aussies have registered 150 wins, while England have managed only 110 victories. 96 Test matches have ended in a draw. Since the turn of the century, Australia have emerged victorious 33 times. They also secured 10 draws and suffered 17 defeats.
Numbers on England soil
Australia have fared well in England against the home team. There's hardly anything to separate the two teams in the head-to-head record. In 171 clashes between the two teams, Australia emerged victorious 51 times, while England have a slight edge with 53 wins. Notably, 67 Tests have ended in a draw. No other team visiting teams have won more Test matches on English soil.
Smith can script history
The in-form Steve Smith requires 53 runs to become the joint-fastest batter to complete 9,000 Test runs. He can accomplish the feat in 172 innings, equaling Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara in this regard. Smith will become only the fourth Aussie batter to touch the mark after Ricky Ponting (13,378), Allan Border (11,174), and Steve Waugh (10,927). He averages 60.04 in the format.
Moeen Ali, Ben Stokes can accomplish this double
All-rounder Moeen Ali, who has come out of Test retirement, needs 86 runs and five wickets to complete 3,000 runs and 200 wickets in Tests. Ian Botham (5,200 and 383), Stuart Broad (3,584 and 582), and Andrew Flintoff (3,795 and 219) are the only England all-rounders with this feat so far. England skipper Ben Stokes requires six wickets to get the same feat.
Joe Root's numbers against Aussie bowlers
England's star batter Joe Root has fallen to Starc seven times in Test cricket. Both Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins has dismissed him as many as eight times in the longest format. Scott Boland got rid of Root as many as four times in six innings. Lyon, the second-most successful off-spinner in Tests, has dismissed the veteran seven times in 35 Test innings.
Here are the other approaching milestones
Marnus Labuschagne (3,461) needs 39 runs to accomplish 3,500 runs in Test cricket. Harry Brook, who averages 81.8 in Tests, requires 182 runs to complete 1,000 runs in whites. Jonny Bairstow (5,482) can touch the 5,500-run mark in the longest format. He (46) can also accomplish 50 sixes in Test cricket. David Warner requires 112 runs to complete 2,000 Test runs in Ashes.
A look at the key performers
Travis Head's strike rate of 81.91 in the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 cycle was the highest among batters with at least 500 runs. Nathan Lyon finished the cycle as the highest wicket-taker, scalping 88 wickets in 20 Tests at 26.12. Usman Khawaja (1,621) and Root (1,473) are the leading run-scorers in Tests since 2022.
