Former England captain Nasser Hussain believes that England needs more than just raw pace to make history in the upcoming Ashes series in Australia. As the cricketing world gears up for the next Ashes series at the end of 2025, Hussain emphasises the importance of combining pace with skill to succeed Down Under.

In a recent column for The Daily Mail, Hussain discussed England's strategy as they prepare for the historic contest. Ben Stokes, the captain of England, has already hinted at assembling a team specifically for the upcoming Ashes series in Australia. England's last Ashes triumph came in 2015 on home soil, where they edged Australia 3-2 in a gripping series. Since then, the Australians have retained the Ashes.

Following England's victory over the West Indies in Nottingham, where they claimed the Richards-Botham Trophy, Hussain suggested that quick bowlers Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood should be integral to the squad for the Ashes tour.

"Pace isn’t everything, of course. Go to Australia and spray it around and you will go around the park. The ideal combination down under is pace and skill, as Gus Atkinson showed in the first match of the series and as Mark Wood, despite not taking the wickets he deserved, did here. England can’t afford to get to Australia and then say ‘same old, same old’. You need to find out an answer in advance," Hussain wrote.

Hussain also praised young spinner Shoaib Bashir for his remarkable five-wicket haul against the West Indies, highlighting his ability to generate turn and drop.

"Having one eye on the present but also one on the future is why England have gone for Shoaib Bashir. Not since Muttiah Muralitharan in 2006 had a spinner taken a five-for in a Test in Nottingham. And he got his rewards because he did the two things you want to see from your off-spinner — he got lovely drop on the ball to take the left-hander’s edge for the dismissal of Alick Athanaze and bowled Jason Holder with a beauty. It will have done him, and all the England bowlers, some good playing here," Hussain noted.