India, Nov. 20 -- Cricket's oldest rivalry is back, and the stage is set for Australia and England to go head-to-head in the Ashes. Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have their biggest test, and it will all boil down to whether Bazball can upstage the hosts Down Under. Australia will be without their captain Pat Cummins and premier speedster Josh Hazlewood for the opening Test in Perth, and England have the best chance possible of landing the first blow; however, it won't be that easy, considering Steve Smith has a knack for raising his game, especially against the Three Lions.

The mind games have well and truly begun ahead of the Ashes opener with Australian tabloids trading barbs at Joe Root and Ben Stokes. Root, inarguably one of the gr...