Australian pitches are set to provide a unique challenge for England's batters in the upcoming Ashes series, according to former captain Steve Smith. The first Test begins in Perth on 21 November, marking a highly-anticipated clash following the thrilling draw in 2023. England aims to reclaim the urn for the first time since 2015.

Smith, who averages 56.01 in Tests against England, believes the Australian conditions will be particularly tough for batters. "Their batters are going to be challenged a little bit differently to the wickets they have had over in England for a while, which have looked pretty flat and good for batting," Smith told BBC Sport. "The wickets in Australia in the last three or four years have been very tricky for top order batters. It is going to be a good challenge for them."

However, Smith is optimistic about the series, stating, "But it's going to be a wonderful series. I have been watching the India and England series and there has been some great cricket played there, so I think the Ashes this year is going to be an absolute belter."

Smith also highlighted the strength of both teams' pace attacks. Australia's top order struggled in the recent series against West Indies on bowler-friendly surfaces, where the highest team total was 286 across three Tests. Despite concerns about the longevity of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Scott Boland, the trio recently combined to skittle West Indies for just 27, showcasing their dominance.

Smith noted a change in England's approach compared to the 2023 series. "They have started to play a little bit differently in the last couple of weeks in terms of playing the situation, as opposed to going out and trying to be the entertainers that they said they wanted to be," he added. "They are actually trying to win the games now which is perhaps different to what was said in their comments previously."

In addition to his Ashes predictions, Smith discussed his participation in The Hundred, aiming to play more franchise cricket to regain his place in Australia's T20 side and compete in the Olympics. "I decided to stop playing one-day cricket so I can play more franchises, with the aim to make the Olympic team," Smith said. "So to play more shorter-form tournaments around the world is only going to be beneficial."

The Hundred starts on 5 August, with Smith's team, Welsh Fire, taking on Northern Superchargers in their first game two days later.