Australia face tough road to the Ashes with India and Bangladesh on the road

PAKISTAN at home before India and Bangladesh on the road should have Steve Smith’s new look Australia battle hardened for the Ashes, writes Robert Craddock.

Steve Smith on his way to a half-century against Pakistan. Picture: Peter Wallis

FASTEN your seatbelts folks. It’s going to be a fascinating ride.

It’s that time of the year when crystal balls are being polished and fearless predictions abound and you don’t have to be a soothsayer to see a volatile year ahead for Steve Smith’s Australians.

It may be a year before we know what this newly minted cricket team is truly made of and the suspicion is next season’s Ashes will provide the defining moment.

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The future looks clear in some respects.

The crystal ball sees Australia clean-sweeping Pakistan in this series then going to India and losing like most sides do there which would be regrettable but no disgrace.

There is every chance Australia won’t be as good as they look against Pakistan nor as bad as they’ll look again India.

Australia captain Steve Smith bats against Pakistan.

Mitchell Starc bowls against Pakistan. Picture: Peter Wallis

Then comes a difficult tour of Bangladesh.

Australia will be expected to win but they could easily lose against a feisty improved opponent.

Then comes England, an unusual team stocked with all-rounders.

When you go this way with team selection you know two things - you are never going to be particularly good or particularly bad.

The bits and pieces brigade normally ensure you have the depth the scratch out a reasonable total and they sandpaper away with the ball.

England rarely disgrace themselves, nor do they take your breath away but they are a solid 7-10 team and the perfect measuring stick for an Australian team likely to contain a fleet of Ashes debutants.

The Pakistan Test has provided the perfect nerve settler after the tumult of five losses in a row against Sri Lanka and South Africa before the dead-rubber victory in Adelaide.

The short pitched bowling assault dished out to Pakistan’s batsmen on Friday was the most venomous handed out by an Australian attack in several years.

Following the death of Phillip Hughes fast bowlers became cautious about the use of the short ball.

Matt Renshaw has impressed as an opener.

Peter Handscomb scored his maiden century at the Gabba.

It was months before it returned in the nets at a frequency which the Australian coaching staff were satisfied with.

But there was no holding back at the Gabba against Pakistan.

The tourists knew it was coming. They talked about it in team meetings. They batted on wickets where wet wooden boards were placed to enhance bounce.

Boardyline replaced bodyline.

But in the end it made no difference. They were driven onto the back foot then edged perfectly pitched ball after their footwork stagnated.

Australia were slaughtered by Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates last time they met and the tourists will cop the same sort of treatment here.

What it proves is that in the modern era, most teams can defend their patch but only the great ones win away from home.

Originally published as Australia face tough road to the Ashes with India and Bangladesh on the road