Former England bowler Stuart Broad has claimed Australia's Ashes team is their worst since 2010.
Australia have not lost a home Ashes series since Broad was part of the England squad that helped them to a 3-1 win Down Under in 2010-11.
Ex-Australia opener David Warner recently predicted Australia would win the upcoming series, which starts next month in Perth, 4-0 because England were only interested in a "moral victory", a reference to comments made by Harry Brook prior to the final Test of the 2023 series in England.
England won that Test, the last of Broad's international career, to ensure a 2-2 draw.
And Broad responded to Warner's remarks with a bold proclamation of his own.
Broad's damning Australia assessment
Broad pointed to the fitness of fast bowler and captain Pat Cummins, who is likely to miss at least the first Test with a back problem, as a significant issue for Australia as he told the 'For the Love of Cricket' podcast: "It's very, very difficult to win in Australia as an England side, or any side - it just is.
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"Australia have to be massive favourites. The question really was 'Which team's under the most pressure?' Well, Australia are under the most pressure because they're expected to win. They're brilliant at home.
"But they've got question marks over their team and question marks over [the fitness of] captain [Pat Cummins].
"You wouldn't be outlandish in thinking - it's actually not an opinion, it's a fact - it's probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won, and it's the best English team since 2010.
"So those things match up to the fact it's going to be a brilliant Ashes series."
A similar situation to 2010-11
Broad believes the circumstances are potentially set up for England to pull off the upset and repeat the performance of the 2010-11 team.
"Australia have been so consistent for a long period of time that you just knew who was going to open the batting, who was going to bat where, what bowlers there were - and they don't have that," he added.
"It's very much a similar situation to 2010-2011 when England went and won there.
"The fact of the matter is Australia generally have to be bad to lose in Australia and England have to be very good.
"England have a great chance of being very good and Australia have a decent chance of being bad.
"I don't think anyone could argue that it's their weakest team since 2010... it's just a fact."
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