Steve Smith Questions England’s Pace-Heavy Ashes Strategy: “They Might Have Got It Wrong”

Perth, November 11: As the countdown to the 2025–26 Ashes series begins, Australian stand-in captain Steve Smith has cast doubt on england’s pace-heavy approach, warning that relying solely on speed may backfire on Australian pitches. Smith believes that seam and swing movement have historically challenged batters more than outright pace under local conditions.

The first Test of the Ashes 2025–26 begins in Perth on November 21. England skipper Ben Stokes has assembled one of the nation’s fastest bowling attacks in recent memory, including Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, and Brydon Carse—a clear shift from the experienced but less explosive duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad.

However, Smith believes England’s revamped pace plan could be misguided. “Those sort of nibblers can be quite tricky,” Smith said, hinting that England’s traditional Reliance on seam and control might have been a better fit. “They might have got things the wrong way around, if that makes sense, in terms of the pace from previous years.”

‘Movement Troubles Batters More Than Speed’

While acknowledging that England’s quick bowlers bring serious firepower, Smith argued that conditions in Australia often reward bowlers who can extract movement through the air and off the seam rather than sheer velocity. “Particularly on the greener wickets we’ve seen in recent seasons, that bit of movement makes all the difference,” he explained.

Joking about the lush nature of some Australian surfaces, Smith quipped that “some wickets have branches hanging off them.” When asked whether it’s harder to face swing or speed, he replied, “Movement is the tougher challenge. It’s a good skill if you can do both—but on wickets where you have to make the pace, slower bowlers can be nearly impossible to play.”

Smith added that the coming Ashes would be “a good challenge” and expressed confidence in Australia’s batting lineup, which he believes is well-equipped to handle raw pace. “We’ve got plenty of guys who love facing the quick stuff,” he said.

Mitchell Starc Warns of Pace Fatigue

Backing Smith’s view, Australian pacer Mitchell Starc cautioned England about the physical toll of sustaining an all-out pace attack over a long Australian summer. Former greats Ian Botham and Brett Lee have publicly encouraged England to unleash both Wood and Archer in the opening Test, but Starc suggested that doing so could test their endurance on hard, unforgiving decks.

Smith Finds Form Ahead of Ashes

On a personal note, Smith’s recent form has been encouraging. In the Sheffield Shield, he posted scores of 118, 57, and an unbeaten 56. Reflecting on his recent innings, Smith said, “I felt awful my first 20 runs—lost my hands a little bit there and then found them back.” He admitted that part of the struggle came from testing different bats. “They all felt a bit different. I think I’ve settled on one now,” he laughed.

Ashes 2025–26: Updated Squads, Familiar Rivalry

The five-Test Ashes series will begin in Perth before moving to Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney. Both teams enter this new cycle with refreshed squads and plenty to prove after the closely fought 2023 series in England.

With Smith questioning England’s tactical choices and Stokes backing his fast men, the stage is set for another fiery Ashes showdown on Australian soil.