The Ashes 2019: Five Batsmen to Watch

Updated on 5:25pm GMT 9 July 2021

The 2019 Ashes Series are approaching and England will be looking to follow up their fantastic World Cup win this summer with a successful Ashes series win over Australia and reclaim the Ashes urn. We’ve already identified the five bowlers to watch during the Ashes and now here are the five batsmen to watch over the summer series.

Click here for our Cricket Betting Tips and Predictions ahead of this year’s Ashes series.

Joe Root

Test Record:

149 Innings
6718 Runs
49.04 Average

Ashes Record:

36 Innings
1369 Runs
42.78 Average

Root is a very solid batsman in the two longer formats of the game. He was the leading run scorer in England’s World Cup triumph and he’s always the man the bowlers want to get out as soon as possible in the 5 day format

Root scored an impressive 180 at Lords in his first Ashes series back in 2013 but a disappointing run after that saw him dropped for the final test.

Root has a vital role to play with the bat this series however since the last Ashes series he has only been top run scorer once in 16 Tests. He usually goes off the favourite and to live up to the billing and inspire England to victory Joe needs to up his game this series.

Travis Head

Test Record:

14 Innings
663 Runs
51 Average

No Ashes Record

Travis was dismissed for a duck on Test debut when he finally got his chance to represent Australia in the five day format when they played Pakistan in October 2018.

His second outing was much more successful as he hit a lovely 72 from 175 balls in Dubai. He cemented his place in the Aussie team against Sri Lanka with middle order knocks of 84, 161 and 59 not out.

Despite under performing this season with Worcestershire he has warmed up well for the Ashes series with knocks of 138 against Gloucestershire in a ODI and 139 not out in test conditions against the England Lions

Click here for our ground by ground analysis ahead of the Ashes 2019 series.

Steve Smith

Test Record:

117 Innings
6199 Runs
61.37 Average

Ashes Record:

41 Innings
2026 Runs
56.27 Average

Smith was an unstoppable force during Australia’s 4-0 rout of England in the 2017/18 Ashes series as he scored 687 runs and averaged 137.4. His reputation took a severe dent however as just 6 months later he was banned for 12 months for his part in the ball-tampering scandal

He has returned as good as he left, he made a century against England in a warm up to the World Cup and top scored with a knock of 85 in the Semi Final defeat to the hosts at Edgbaston.

Smith’s strength is definitely the five day format and if he’s on song this series then this Australia side will be very difficult to beat.

Jos Buttler

Test Record:

54 Innings
1722 Runs
35.87 Average

Ashes Record:

8 Innings
122 Runs
15.25 Average

Jos is an excellent one day batter and an even better T20 opening batsman however he struggled at Test level until recently.

He was recalled to the Test side after a fantastic 2018 IPL season and he went on to finish as top run scorer in the two test series with Pakistan despite batting at number 7.

His first test century came against India last summer at Trent Bridge whilst only Ben Foakes managing to top his 250 runs he scored against Sri Lanka during England’s winter tour.

Buttler had a terrible 2015 Ashes series however his recent form against Australia gives cause for encouragement. He has had unbeaten knocks of 100, 91 and 110 in his last ten One Day Internationals and with him settling in to a Test role well he could be a key figure with the bat for England this Ashes series.

Click here for our full Ashes 2019 lowdown, the venues, dates and head to head records.

David Warner

Test Record:

137 Innings
6363 Runs
48.2 Average

Ashes Record:

33 Innings
1520 Runs
49.03 Average

Warner was another of the Australia players who received a 12 month ban for his part in the ball-tampering scandal but like Smith he has returned in fantastic form.

Warner was the top run scorer in the IPL this year firing a century and eight fifties in just 12 innings. He almost backed that up with the top run scorer accolade at the 2019 Cricket World Cup however he finished just one run shy of India’s Rohit Sharma.

David loves the hard quick pitches in his home country averaging an impressive 59.64 in Australia however he doesn’t travel as well. He’s averaged just 36.75 away from home and hasn’t hit a century in his last eight Ashes games in England