Alastair Cook will have a tough Ashes series, particularly against Mitchell Starc: Steve Waugh

Alastair Cook is among the most successful English batsmen and crossed the 11, 000-run mark for England in Tests. (Source: AP)

If the Three Lions have to succeed in their upcoming tour to Australia, then the top order batting unit remains a vital ingredient in their formula for success. Opener Alastair Cook will be one of the key men who will be looked upon to deliver but former Australia captain Steve Waugh believes that England opener will struggle this time down under. Despite Cook being one of the successful batsmen to tour Australia, Waugh believes that he will find it tough particularly against the likes of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

Speaking to cricket.com.au Waugh said, “Cook will have a tough series, particularly against Mitchell Starc. He’s still a very good player but I don’t think he’s the player he was a couple of years ago. Having said that, he knows how to make runs and he’s got an amazing record. But against Starc and (Josh) Hazelwood and (Pat) Cummins, they’ll really test him out. He’ll have to be on his best game and for England to do well in this series, he needs to score a lot of runs and occupy the crease.”

“That will be a challenge for him out here. The last 12 months, he’s faced some attacks that are nowhere near the potency of this Australian attack, particularly on quicker wickets.”, ” said Waugh and added, “He has the know-how and he’s got the muscle memory and he knows he can score runs against anyone. But the big question is the swinging ball, if he gets knocked out a couple of times in the first Test match he’ll have some doubts in his mind.”
Stating that the focus will be on the top order, Waugh concluded by saying, “Australia will really focus in on Cook and Root at the top of the order, if they can knock those guys out cheaply than it does expose the middle order.”