The Ashes 2013: Top five Australian players to watch out for

The biggest issues faced by Australian cricket under Mickey Arthur heading into the Ashes was their non-performance, the apparent lack of team spirit and the non-existent self-belief. A number of these factors can be turned around with a change in leadership, and that is what Australia have opted for.

Darren Lehmann is a proven commodity and he will bring the ambition and aggression that have characterized Australian sides of the past. However, the personnel remain pretty much the same. It is however questionable if a change in leadership, that too off-field leadership, can bring such a massive turnaround. Will Australia be able to challenge the dominant, superior English side come the first Test match at Nottingham?

These questions will be answered with time. However, what we can definitely analyse as of now is the balance of the Australian side. There is a lot to worry about in that respect and as Ian Chappell has recently pointed out, their batting looks particularly weak. The bowling has a bit of muscle but is inexperienced and is still lacking in experience when compared to the English bowling line-up.

That is not to say Australia cannot be competitive. Big occasions often make big players and a player or two punching above their weight can propel a team to victory. If the author’s perspective is to be taken, that is pretty much what happened in England’s victory at the Ashes of 2005.

For Australia, a group of players will form the nucleus of this side and their performances can determine where the balance tilts in the series. Here is a list of five players who can make the difference for Australia:

5. Chris Rogers

Chris Rogers

It is a remarkable personal story for Rogers to be selected for the Australian Ashes squad when he is 35 years old and least expected it. He has been on the threshold of the Test squad for a really long time, but youth was always given priority. It is not a time to ponder upon personal milestones though, and he will be well aware of that.

The player who has a vast English county experience and currently leads Middlesex will be at home playing in the English conditions. One of the primary reasons that he was called into the side is the lack of experience in the batting line-up. He will plug that gap with his wisdom. He is a steady player who plays by the philosophy that you stay on the wicket till someone does enough to get you out. He won’t be committing any mistakes.