Australia have identified former captain Joe Root as the crucial England batsman they must neutralise to secure victory in the Ashes 2025-26 series, with seamer Scott Boland explicitly naming him as the prime target.
Boland's Bullseye on England's Best
The declaration came as the Australian squad began their preparations in Perth, with temperatures hitting a sweltering 33C. While England enjoyed a day off after their warm-up fixture at Lilac Hill, the Australian bowlers were already honing their strategies for the first Test.
Boland, the 36-year-old who terrorised England during the 2021-22 tour with 18 wickets at an average of just nine runs, left no doubt about his primary objective. "Hopefully we can keep Joe Root and the guys in the middle-order pretty quiet," he stated. "You always want to take down the best players. In the past when Joe Root has been captain you want to try to make sure he has as little impact as you can."
Cummins on the Mend as Bowling Attack Takes Shape
The Australian camp received encouraging news as captain Pat Cummins stepped up his return from a back injury. Cummins bowled for almost an hour in the nets at Perth Stadium, approaching full speed. The fast bowler has been managing a "hotspot" in his lower back, an early sign of a stress fracture detected after the West Indies tour in July.
His target return is the day-night second Test in Brisbane starting on 4 December. In his absence for the Perth opener, Steve Smith will captain the side, with Boland confirmed to replace Cummins in the XI.
Australia's bowling resources face further strain with a hamstring injury to Josh Hazlewood, likely handing a debut to South Australia's Brendan Doggett this week.
Lessons Learned from 2023 Defeat
Boland acknowledged the need to adapt after a challenging 2023 series in England, where he managed only two wickets at 115 runs apiece across two matches against England's aggressive 'Bazball' approach.
"I learned a lot," Boland reflected. "I've reflected on that tour a fair bit. There will be tweaks to my gameplan for what I want to do, but I don't think I need to change too much. I just need to execute a bit better."
As the green-tinged pitch at Perth Stadium received watering ahead of the first Test, the psychological battle lines were clearly drawn, with England's premier batsman squarely in Australian sights.
