Australia's batting great Ian Chappell has lashed out at the Ashes 2023 schedule and termed it a ‘nightmare’ for all the players as Australia and England will kick off the ultimate drama at Edgbaston from June 16.
Chappell calls Ashes 2023 schedule stupid
Chappell said that the schedule has been unnecessarily stretched for a long time and went on to call it stupid. Notably the Ashes 2023 series between England and Australia will be played from June 16 to July 31.
"It's ridiculous, the schedule, I mean the schedule's been ridiculous for a long time but that is stupidity. There's not a Test played in August so that tells you how quickly they're playing them," Chappell told Wide World of Sports.
"It's a nightmare for all players, both physically and mentally, particularly the fast bowlers and I don't think there's any way in the world that either side is going to get through five Tests using the same bowling players all the way. I think the extra players are going to come in handy and that's one thing that'll probably suit Australia," Chappell added.
Australia are coming from a high of winning World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 title as Pat Cummins' brigade rocked Team India by 209 runs in the high-octane clash at the Oval on June 11.
‘Cummins, Lyon crucial for Australia’
Meanwhile, ex-Aussie cricketer Steve O'Keefe said that Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins will be crucial for Australia in the imminent Ashes 2023 series.
"I think the locks for Australia will be Cummins and Lyon, Cummins it's going to be a big ask for him to play five but I think he's prepared - listening to his commentary before this Test series he said I'd like to come in under prepared (rather) than over prepared," O'Keefe said.
Talking about the last year's Ashes outing, Australia hammered England 4-0 and Ben Stokes & Co. will look to avenge their humiliation when they will host Cummins' brigade at Edgbaston for the series opener.
Head-to-Head
There have been 72 Ashes series: Australia have won 34, England have won 32, and six series have been drawn.
Ashes 2023 schedule
1st Test, Friday June 16-Tuesday June 20: , Edgbaston
2nd Test, Wednesday June 28-Sunday July 2, Lord’s
3rd Test, Thursday July 6-Monday July 10, Headingley
4th Test, Wednesday July 19-Sunday July 23, Emirates Old Trafford
5th Test, Thursday July 27-Monday 31, The Kia Oval
Australia squad for first two Tests: Pat Cummins (captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Todd Murphy, Matthew Renshaw, Steve Smith (vice-captain), Mitchell Starc, David Warner.
England squad for first two Ashes Tests: Ben Stokes (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
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