Ashes 2025-26: England great Ian Botham on why the visitors should play four quicks
The England cricket legend has encouraged selectors to take a leaf out of the fierce West Indies attack that included four frontline quick bowlers and take on the Australians when the Ashes begin.
Test legend Sir Ian Botham says the all-out pace attack the West Indies deployed to strong effect in the 1980s should be the blueprint for England when the Ashes begins in Perth next week.
The tourists have brought frontline quicks Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Matthew Potts, Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse to Australia in search of a first away series win in 15 years.
Botham backed the plan to send fiery fast bowling the way of the Australians declaring no batters “like it in the ribs”.
“I think the West Indies did pretty well with four pace bowlers and had six waiting to get in,” he said.
“I think it’s the right way, you want to be aggressive, you want to come through and players if they’re not playing very well don’t like it in the ribs.
“It will be interesting … I don’t know if they’ll be able to rattle them, a lot of these guys have been around a long time.
“It’s not a case of rattling them, it’s a case of going out and trying to win and that’s what they do.
“They lose a few, they win a few.”
Botham threw his support around a lesser-known quick, as the likelihood of Wood and Archer getting through five Tests is increasingly low.
He backed Carse to be the bowler who could impress in Australian conditions and step up.
“I think Carse might surprise a few of you,” Botham said.
“He’s a very aggressive bowler, he’s got enough pace to make you hop around a bit and he can bat a bit – he’s a good cricketer.
“Everyone is focused on Wood and Archer, but I think Carse will slide in quietly there.”
The Ashes begin in Perth on November 21, kickstarting a five-match series that finishes in Sydney in January.
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