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NEW DELHI: Former England spinner Monty Panesar backed his countrymen to reclaim the Ashes Down Under for the first time in 15 years, saying that Ben Stokes and Co. will win the series if they clinch the first Test in Perth.Panesar, who took part in England’s away Ashes campaigns in 2006–07 and 2013–14, believes the current squad is better equipped to perform much better than those earlier touring sides that were whitewashed 5–0 in Australia.Although Australia haven’t lost a home Test to England since 2011, Panesar believes the visitors have an edge this time given the hosts’ mounting injury concerns.
“You look at Australia and there’s no Pat Cummins and no Josh Hazlewood. They’ve got an opener, which is a David Warner replacement, but we don’t know how he’s going to go about it.“Usman Khawaja in the last couple of years, his record has not been great, let’s be honest. So, I just think England are on edge here, if England win the first Test match (they can win the series),” Panesar said on SENWA Breakfast.While Australia boast Nathan Lyon, who has 562 Test wickets, Panesar believes 22-year-old English spinner Shoaib Bashir has the potential to outperform the veteran on his own turf, despite Bashir having only 68 Test wickets at an average of 39.“I think they (England) will win at Brisbane, Adelaide will probably be Australia, Melbourne, I think maybe Australia again. If it’s two-all going into Sydney, it will be the battle of the spinners. And who knows, it could be just Shoaib Bashir coming into his own there, so I believe it’ll be 3-2 or 3-1, England,” he added.The first Test between Australia and England begins in Perth on Friday.
