Steve Smith To Ben Stokes - Five Players To Watch Out For In Ashes!

The first Test between England and Australia starts at Brisbane's Gabba on Wednesday. Here, let's have a look at the five players who could be match-winners in the Ashes. Steve Smith (Australi

Joe Root (England)

Joe Root is chasing history as a batsman in the Ashes at the same time as he shoulders the burden of turning around England's fortunes after recent batterings in Australia, where the tourists have lost nine of their last 10 Tests.

The 30-year-old captain, who tops the global Test batting rankings, has amassed 1,455 runs in 23 innings in 2021, 333 runs short of Mohammad Yousuf's calendar year record.

The Yorkshireman has a maximum of six innings before the end of the year -- in Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne -- to overtake the retired Pakistan batsman and cement his status as one of England's greatest players.

Root believes England have a chance to do "something special" in the Ashes despite a build-up wrecked by bad weather but also knows his team's hopes rest on his ability to anchor a flaky top order.