Langer pinpoints where the Ashes will be won

Australia coach Justin Langer says the team that can best manage fatigue and endure the gruelling Ashes schedule will determine who takes home the urn at series' end.

Australia and England are about to set off on an Ashes campaign that crams five blockbuster Tests and a pair of tour matches for the visitors in a little over six weeks, starting on Thursday with the opening Test at Edgbaston.

To indicate just how frantic Australia's campaign is, their biggest gap between matches is just four days, with the Worcester tour match set to end on August 9 before the second Test starts on August 14 at Lord's. And that’s the only four-day break between games for the tourists.

Both teams enter the series on the back of the World Cup, which ended in England eliminating the Australians in the semi-final in Birmingham before lifting the trophy at Lord's after a remarkable final against New Zealand.

If the high-stakes of the World Cup was not draining enough, the pressure level is about to go up another notch in the Ashes, cricket's fiercest and storied rivalry that stretches back 137 years.

It's why Langer is convinced the team that can best handle the rigours and intensity of the hectic series will win the Ashes.

"There's no doubt it's a challenge for both teams, the fatigue," Langer said at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

"This is unprecedented – World Cup then an Ashes. Both are really big competitions that we want to win.

"We're aware of it, we're going to have to deal with it, there's nothing we can do about it but being aware of it is a good starting point.

"Joe (Root, England captain) and England will be aware of it, they'll have to deal with, manage it the best they can and so will we.

"I honestly think, it's not about this Edgbaston Test match, it's about how we endure right through a five-Test match series.

"It's going to be a tough series no doubt but how we endure that will probably be the team who wins the Ashes."

One way Australia will manage fatigue during the Ashes is by utilising their star-studded pace attack to its fullest.

Langer said the fast bowlers will not be rotated through the series but picked specifically to suit the conditions at each venue.

The selectors may have to make brave decisions swapping out quicks who have performed for those who are fresh and tailormade for certain grounds.

But Australia assistant coach Brad Haddin says Australia's World Cup campaign is evidence that the selectors will change the attack to give themselves the best chance of winning.

Nathan Coulter-Nile started the tournament, Kane Richardson was used in the middle stages before Jason Behrendorff was the preferred third fast bowler for the back end of the campaign to partner Mitch Starc and Pat Cummins.

Haddin expects to see the same tactical manoeuvring in the Ashes.

"One of the things JL (Langer) said during the World Cup is our flexibility will be our strength and that's the same with our fast bowling group," Haddin said on the latest edition of The Unplayable Podcast.

"We've got a really good opportunity to make some smart decisions depending on what surfaces we get.

"They might stay the same like they did for the whole series in 2013, but we've got the option if we think we need to."

2019 Qantas Ashes Tour of England

Australia squad: Tim Paine (c), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

England squad: Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes (vc), Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.

First Test: August 1-5,Edgbaston

Tour match: Australians v Worcestershire, August 7-9

Second Test: August 14-18,Lord's

Third Test: August 22-26, Headingley

Tour match: Australians v Derbyshire, August 29-31

Fourth Test: September 4-8, Old Trafford

Fifth Test: September 12-16, The Oval