The Ashes rivalry has always been spiced up by words before the first ball is bowled, and this year is no different.
Former Australia pacer Glenn McGrath has already predicted a 5-0 whitewash for Pat Cummins’ side in the upcoming 2025 Men’s Ashes.
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But before England’s players have even packed their bags, Stuart Broad stepped in with a playful reminder, “at least let us land first!”
Why did McGrath predict a 5-0 scoreline?
McGrath is famous for making confident calls before an Ashes series in Australia, and his latest forecast is no exception.
Speaking to BBC Radio, he said he could not see England winning even a single Test this time.
He pointed to Australia’s pace trio, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, along with spinner Nathan Lyon, saying they would be almost impossible to beat in home conditions.
“It's very rare for me to make a prediction, isn't it? And I can't make a different one - 5-0. I'm very confident with our team. When you've got Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon firing in their home conditions, it's going to be pretty tough,” McGrath said.
What was Stuart Broad’s reaction on McGrath prediction?
Broad, never shy of a witty comment, took to X (formerly Twitter) to poke fun at McGrath’s early prediction. Writing in August, well before the first Test on 21 November in Perth, he said:
“It’s August!! At least let us land, Glenn.”
It’s August!! At least let us land Glenn! https://t.co/6Gp8zfql4j
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) August 8, 2025
How has England been performing recently in Tests?
England arrive in Australia after a 2-2 draw against India in the recently finished Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy.
That result means they have now gone seven years without winning a Test series against either India or Australia.
The last time England won a series Down Under was in 2010–11, and since then, they have struggled badly on Australian soil.