5 areas that Australia needs to work on

The Ashes is usually a high-voltage encounter, and Australia will play in familiar conditions when it takes on its old foe England later on this year. Fans will remember that England was thrashed 5-0 the last time it toured Australia.

On paper, both sides look equally strong, with a mix of experienced and inexperienced players in their batting lineups, and well-established bowling lineups.

Going by its recent performance in Tests, there are certain areas where Australia needs to improve before the Ashes.

#5 Filling the wicket-keeper's slot

Peter Nevill was dropped from the Test team and replaced with Matthew Wade as wicketkeeper in all formats.

Mainly picked because his batting skills are better than Nevill's, Wade is yet to deliver. Wade has played 10 Tests since his instatement as wicketkeeper, and averages a shabby 21.09.

Australia needs a player who provides stability behind the stumps and can contribute alongside the lower order batsmen.

The team might need to consider bringing back Nevill or picking an uncapped player for the wicketkeeper role. Heading into a series as important as the Ashes, this is a tough decision for Australia to make.

#2 Sorting out the No. 6 dilemma

None of the players tried out at No. 6, including Maxwell, have been effective

The No. 6 position has been a recent cause of concern for the Aussies. Players like Mitchell Marsh, Moises Henriques and, more recently, Glen Maxwell have all been tried in that slot.

Barring one century hit by Maxwell, the No. 6 position makes the batting lineup look vulnerable. Maxwell was given several opportunities to show his talent and was often found unable to assess the situation and bat accordingly.

Shaun Marsh will be part of this squad for the Ashes, and can probably look at occupying the No. 6 slot. He possesses a good technique, and his ability to bat well with the tailenders works in his favour.

With Marsh back in form, this is a good time to bring him in and add stability to the Australian batting line-up.

#3 Reduce dependence on Starc and Hazlewood

Australia will be relieved to have Hazlewood back

With the return of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, Australia's bowling attack will be menacing. But, the Australians need to be cautious and not depend entirely on these two to deliver crucial strikes. As they are coming back from injuries, it will be important for the other bowlers to step up and support them.

A fully fit Pat Cummins and an in-form Nathan Lyon will definitely help this cause.

Cummins’s brand of aggressive fast bowling will complement Starc and Hazlewood beautifully. With his speed and skill, he is a huge asset to the team.

Nathan Lyon had an underwhelming tour of Sri Lanka, but he put all doubts about his lack of ability to rest by delivering outstanding performances in the hot, tiring, spin-friendly conditions in Bangladesh. It was due to his exploits that Australia came back after losing the first game of the series and levelled the two-match series.

#4 Effectively counter swing bowling

England has a formidable set of bowlers

Australia's batting is vulnerable to good quality swing bowling. In this Ashes, the conditions will especially suit England's bowling lineup. Early on in the innings, the ball will move around at speed and bounce.

With the likes of James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes and Jake Ball in the English camp, the Australian batsmen will need to work on countering the swing and minimise the damage wreaked by the bowlers.

Most Australian batsmen like Steven Smith, Shaun Marsh, David Warner, and Usman Khawaja tend to play away from the body to balls pitched outside the off-stump. This is an area that the English bowlers would look to target, and Australia's batting unit would have to come up with solutions to counter this.

#5 Identifying primary all-rounders

Australia should consider giving Stoinis a chance as all-rounder

The current Australian Test team doesn’t have any reliable all-rounders.

Mitchell Marsh was given a decent run but he wasn’t able to establish himself as a consistent batsman, nor was he able to maintain pressure with his bowling and get enough wickets. This was also the case with Glen Maxwell.

Marcus Stoinis has scored some big runs in the domestic circuit and his bowling can be deceptive and effective. He should be groomed and given the opportunity to perform in the Ashes. Playing in familiar home conditions will be an added benefit for Stoinis.

The Ashes will be followed by a series against South Africa, and Australia will have to play with its best possible team. Deciding early on its all-rounder and grooming him will make the Australians look solid and formidable.