The Ashes remains the pinnacle of Test cricket and the latest Australia vs England meeting promises to deliver another cracking series.The first Test gets underway on Friday 21st November and Ben Stokes’ men will go in search of a first England series win Down Under since 2010-11.Australia know a drawn series will be enough for them to retain the famous urn, but there are already question marks over injuries and the age of their squad.talkSPORT BET welcome offer – Get £20 in free bets*Ashes tipsSeries Correct Score – 3-2 England @ 7/1 with talkSPORT BETTop England Batter – Joe Root @ 9/4 with talkSPORT BETTop England Bowler – Ben Stokes @ 5/1 with talkSPORT BETTop Australian Bowler – Josh Hazlewood @ 5/2 with talkSPORT BETMcCullum primes England for success in AustraliaIt’s three-and-a-half years since Brendon McCullum took charge of the England Test squad and there have been some big changes since the summer of 2022.The biggest impact has been the front-foot mentality of the squad with the energetic, attacking style of play dubbed ‘Bazball’ by the media.The sceptics would say England will need to change their train of thought Down Under, but they go into the five-match showdown having lost just one of their last six Test series.England’s coaching team will feel they have built up the squad to peak for this tour and can take advantage of an Australia team that doesn’t look as strong as they have for previous Ashes encounters.The decision to move the first Test to Perth from Brisbane may also be a key factor for the tourists, who haven’t won at the Gabba since 1986.Root determined to make his markA lot has been made in the build-up to the series, mainly from former Australia players, about Joe Root having never made a century Down Under.The world’s number one Test batter endured a torrid series as captain in 2017-18, before also finishing on the losing side in the 2021-22 tour.Despite losing the last series Down Under 4-0, Root did finish as England’s top runscorer – with three fifties and a top score of 89.The Yorkshireman averages 35.70 in Australia and has nine 50s to his name and he will need to have a good series if England are to prevail.Skipper Stokes can deliver key wicketsEngland head to Australia with genuine pace in their bowling attack this time, with the likes of Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson expected to play their part.Injury concerns over Archer and Wood in particular might see the selectors shuffle the pack for a couple of the five Tests.One man who England will need throughout the series is Ben Stokes, with the captain desperate to add to the 19 Test wickets he has already picked up in Australia.In nine matches against the old rivals on their home patch, the all-rounder has one five-wicket haul, but is the man England always look to when they need to make a breakthrough.It’s worth noting that Stokes didn’t bowl in the last three Tests of the home series in 2023 – a series that finished 2-2.Hazlewood will need to step upWith injury worries surrounding Pat Cummins, who will definitely miss the first Test with back issues, a lot will rest on the shoulders of their other pace bowlers.Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc are 34 and 35 respectively and England will look to make them bowl for long periods.Hazlewood has 295 Test wickets to his name – 76 versus England – with 168 of those scalps coming on Australian pitches.The man from New South Wales took 21 wickets during the 2017-18 Ashes series, including a fifer in Perth.talkSPORT BET welcome offer – Get £20 in free bets*All odds correct at time of writing.*18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet £10+ via mobile on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get 4x £5 Free Bets on selected markets. Free bets expire in 7 days. Card payments & Apple Pay only. T&Cs apply, see below. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsiblyRemember to gamble responsiblyA responsible gambler is someone who:Establishes time and monetary limits before playingOnly gambles with money they can afford to loseNever chase their lossesDoesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressedGamCare – www.gamcare.org.ukGamble Aware – www.begambleaware.orgFor help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. Begambleaware.org