Stuart Broad states that England will win Ashes 2019

The Australian team reclaimed the Ashes urn well before the actual conclusion of the series, as they won the first encounters by a landslide. The nation from ‘Down Under’ won the first three matches in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth to claim Ashes 2017 before England clinched a morale-boosting draw at the MCG.

The ongoing final Test at the SCG also looks to be in Australia’s pocket as they posted a mammoth first innings total of 649/7 decl. The English have already lost four wickets and have to toil hard on the final day if they wish to squeeze out a draw in the dead-rubber fixture.

Despite Australia’s dominance over the past six weeks, Lions speedster Stuart Broad says England will be ‘favourites’ to win the next Ashes, set to be held at home next year. And the 31-year-old bowler also poured cold water on speculation that he could retire after a poor individual tour, saying that he is already aiming to feature in the 2019 series.

Broad wrote in a column for the Daily Mail, “It is not a sentiment reflected in the scoreline of this Ashes series, but I think we will rightly be favorites when Australia come over to us in 2019 – and I expect us to win.”

He added, ‘I definitely aim to be part of that and after this Test is over we start building towards that goal, putting in place plans to get the Ashes back.”

Broad concedes Smith is the best player in the world

Australia rode on the back of some scintillating knocks from their skipper Steve Smith, whose performance was the highlight of the tournament. Apart from his aggressive captaincy, the 28-year-old enjoyed a sublime form with the willow to guide Australia to the driver’s seat and establish their dominion in the Ashes.

The dynamic skipper lived up to his reputation, being immovable with the bat against England on several occasions in the series. And Broad conceded that Smith is the best player in the world, adding, ‘There have been a lot of questions in the last two or three years over who the best player in the world is. I think that has been answered by Steve Smith.”