5 problems Australia should deal with ahead of the Ashes

Australia are scheduled to play their old foes England for the coveted urn later in the year. They would want to have a settled side going into such a prestigious and crucial test series. But the loss at Mirpur to Bangladesh is not good a omen with some old problems resurfacing for the Aussies.

Australia have a rather dubious and uneventful record in the subcontinent where they have managed to win only two out of their last 24 test matches. Some serious cause for concern and a record they would want to improve for sure.

But considering the fact that the Aussies play on home soil in a bid to regain the Ashes, inability to win games in Asian conditions is not of huge concern keeping the Ashes in mind. Although there are other areas where Australia need to work on before their Ashes campaign starts.

Here are 5 problems for Australia before their Ashes:

#5 Matthew Wade's patchy form

Post the retirement of Brad Haddin, the Aussies went for Peter Nevill as their wicket keeper. A very good, agile and solid wicket keeper even in sub-continent conditions, Nevill was unable to add much value as a batsman which meant he was eventually dropped from the team.

They then opted for Matthew Wade who is known more for his batting skills than his ability behind the stumps. Wade, since donning the gloves for the test team, has not justified his selection. His batting form has been woeful since last November and he hasn't really been an improvement on Nevill.

He averages 31.14 in 20 tests which can be much better and also his glove work in Sri Lanka or India has come under the scanner as he has missed a few routine chances. From a technical perspective, the backing Wade is getting is a bit baffling as he has not justified his position as a batsman-wicket keeper yet.

This series against Bangladesh gives him the right opportunity to prove that he is the right choice as the wicket-keeper. Wade has been useful in the shorter formats of the game, but is yet to arrive in Test cricket. If he still looks scratchy in this series too, is it worth bringing back Peter Nevill?

Nevill may not have contributed with the bat that consistently, but as a wicket-keeper going in to the Ashes, the selectors should consider going with him as he is much more dependable behind the stumps.

#4 The batting must step up, too much dependency on Warner-Smith duo

David Warner

Australia’s batting needs to be more consistent. In India, in extreme conditions, it was good to see the likes of Matt Renshaw and Peter Handscomb, who were newcomers, contributing well.

But one gets a feeling that there is too much of a dependency on David Warner and Steve Smith to do the bulk of the scoring which is a problem area for the Australians. The likes of Renshaw and Handscomb have been good so far but the others in the middle-order have been very inconsistent.

Usman Khawaja flattered to deceive by scoring a total of two runs in the test match at Mirpur but he’s predominantly known so far in his test career for amassing big runs in home conditions, that is one big positive for Australia heading into the Ashes.

The likes of Glen Maxwell and Mathew Wade have not justified their selection in the test team yet. Australia need to look at alternatives, maybe Moises Henriques or a fit Shaun Marsh would make this batting line-up look more solid and commanding.

The men from down under need to keep their options open and not depend completely on the Warner-Smith duo to bail them out. Especially against a quality bowling lineup which England have, it becomes important that everyone in the batting lineup puts their best foot forward, as they have got the talent but they just need to get more consistent.

#3 Nathan Lyon is yet to prove that he’s capable of leading the bowling attack

Nathan Lyon

Ever since Shane Warne retired, the Aussies have struggled to find a spinner who could get them wickets and perform consistently at home and away.

Among the various options tried, Nathan Lyon with his nice, smooth action and pin-point accuracy has established himself as Australia’s premier spinner in the test match format for the past few years. With 247 wickets from 63 test matches at an acceptable average of 33.13, Lyon has indeed justified his position in the team.

But it has been a rather dull, uneventful and frustrating last one year for Lyon where he has tasted little success and leaked runs which is giving Australia another headache. Considering he is the team’s most experienced bowler, this is a cause of concern heading into the Ashes.

In their tour to India, Lyon attained his career best figures of 8/50 but overall in a series where the pitches were stacked in favour of the spinners, Lyon and O’Keefe didn’t cause too many worries for the Indian batsmen, barring few instances of brilliance.

This series against Bangladesh gives the right opportunity for Lyon to re-gain his lost form and consistency which Steve Smith is seeking. As the most experienced bowler in the team, it’s natural for the Smith to look at Lyon to provide him wickets and break partnerships.

With the likes of Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazelwood expected to be the biggest strength for the Australians, Lyon should take on the leadership role and be a steady, calm influence for Smith to rely on against England.

If Lyon starts troubling the batsmen more frequently, this Australian attack definitely becomes more potent and lethal. Also the English could focus their efforts mainly on countering the pace bowlers from Australia, so if Lyon gets into his wicket taking mode often then he could be the X-factor which could help his team regain the Ashes.

#2 Glenn Maxwell’s role in test team is not clearly specified

Glenn Maxwell

Everybody is very well aware of what damage Maxwell can cause with his hard-hitting shots. Maxwell is mercurial but he does possess match winning abilities, and that’s mainly the reason why he is picked in the test team ahead of some other deserving candidates.

What is Glen Maxwell’s role in this test team? Is he one of your full-time batsman who can bowl you some overs? Well his poor average of 23.14 in 6 test matches doesn’t justify his selection. As a proper batsman, so far Maxwell hasn’t been able to establish himself in this team as he hasn't been able to convert starts into bigger scores.

Or is he a bowling all-rounder whose runs with the bat is an additional bonus? Again he has 8 wickets in 6 test matches proving that he’s not that good an option in test matches, which also explains why the captain Steven Smith uses him sparingly.

So there’s confusion with regards to Maxwell’s role in the test team. If Australia are looking for a proper batsman at the number 6 position, then selecting Shaun Marsh when he is fit or even giving Hilton Cartwright more opportunities makes sense.

If Australia are seeking for a bowling all-rounder then without Mitchell Marsh, who is out injured, they could give a longer run to someone like Moises Henriques. He has played in test matches earlier and having him in the team for the Ashes gives Smith an additional fast bowling option along with being sure of some handy runs down the order, as technique wise Henriques is ahead of Maxwell with the bat.

Australia need to be completely sure of what they want and most importantly looking at Maxwell’s uneventful test career so far, they should probably look at other options when they head into a very important series such as the Ashes.

#1 Constant injuries to their fast bowlers is a cause of concern

Mitchell Starc

Without a doubt, Australia’s fast bowling is their biggest strength heading into the Ashes, especially considering the fact that they will play on home conditions which would assist their fast, aggressive bowlers.

But off-late, Mitchell Starc has been injured for a while, although he will return for the Ashes. Even their next strike bowler -- Josh Hazlewood -- has been ruled out of the second test against Bangladesh and the ODI’s against India.

Like all international teams, Australia face the problem of injuries to their fast bowlers. With increased workload and the fact that most of the fast bowlers play in all formats of the game, it makes it even harder for them to stay fresh for longer periods of time.

With Pat Cummins performing well in tiring conditions in Bangladesh and the fact that Starc and Hazlewood will return for the Ashes, Australia won't worry too much about injures to their bowlers for the time-being.

They must ensure that the other fast bowlers and generally all their fast bowlers are looked after well and their workloads looked into as it’s their biggest weapon.