Adelaide, Oct 28 (NationPress) Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey has brushed aside Stuart Broad’s claim that England will be up against the “weakest Australian team since 2010”, emphasizing that the visitors will need to “wait and see” in the upcoming Ashes series, suggesting that the Australian squad remains formidable and should not be underestimated.

In response to former Australian batsman David Warner’s forecast of a 4-0 series victory for England, Broad initiated an early critique, labeling Australia’s current Test side as the weakest since 2010. “You wouldn’t be outlandish in thinking – it’s actually not an opinion, it’s a fact – it’s probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won. And it’s the best English team since 2010,” he remarked on his podcast, For The Love Of Cricket.

Reacting to Broad's assertion, Carey told reporters on Tuesday, “No comment, is that what he said, did he? I guess we will wait and see. All the guys have played against Stuart in the past and we know how big a competitor he is and how much he’s done for Test cricket.”

“We have a really experienced cricket team who has had a lot of success over the last three to four years under Patty Cummins. To win a World Test Championship, to retain the Ashes over there, to make another World Test Championship earlier this year was a pretty good recognition for the success this team has had.”

“I think internally the boys don’t think they are written off, I just think this group has been able to overcome any challenge that has come their way. And that is through experience, great leadership, amazing players. Some of Australia’s greatest Test players are in this Test team at the moment,” he added.

Australia will head into the Ashes series commencing in Perth on November 21 without injured skipper Pat Cummins, with Steve Smith stepping in as captain. Scott Boland, boasting an impressive home bowling average of 12.63, appears to be the likely substitute in the bowling lineup for Perth during Cummins' absence.

Despite Cummins’ injury, Carey is confident in Australia’s bowling resources and supports Smith in comfortably assuming the captaincy role. “And I think we have seen that with Scott Boland; his record without playing consecutive Test matches regularly speaks volumes to that. There are a number of guys, someone comes out and you definitely have someone coming in that will do a really good job,” he said.

“Not much changes if Pat does come out of the team, Steve has experience, and he is excited to step into the role, and he has a great tactical brain. But not much changes for the group.”