Former Test paceman Merv Hughes says he is dumbfounded by Australia's Ashes build-up and has given his countrymen little hope of beating England in the series starting next month.
Hughes, a one-time selector, said he was incredulous that Australia were playing in a one-day series in India while England were in Perth preparing for the Tests.
The 17-man England squad arrived in the early hours of Friday and trained on Saturday ahead of their tour opener against Western Australia starting on Thursday.
The former Test firebrand tipped Australia to lose an historic fourth straight Ashes series and declared that any success against the experienced England outfit was at least two years away.
"I think they are really well placed," Hughes said on Fairfax radio Sunday when asked about England, who won the Ashes 3-0 on home soil in July and August.
"I mean, they could be in India doing seven one-day games preparing for the Ashes like the Australians are -- what a great preparation that is.
"I am just dumbfounded with England being in town and preparing for an Ashes that starts in about a month's time and Australia has got a team playing in India, playing in subcontinent conditions preparing for the Ashes.
"So who's going to be better prepared come the first Test match? England appears to be doing everything right at the moment.
