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Whole new ball game as Broad prepares for Aussie lefties

England's star seamer concedes bowling to Australia's left-handers this summer will be more difficult than it was during the 2019 Ashes

The likely absence of Will Pucovski from the start of the Test summer has paved the way for Australia to again deploy two left-handed openers, but even Stuart Broad admits that will not be the Ashes death knell it was two years ago.

News that Pucovksi is unlikely to play the opening Test against England means the in-form duo of Marcus Harris and Usman Khawaja are the leading contenders to partner David Warner at the start of the series, which Steve Waugh noted on Wednesday could "present an issue" given Broad's dominance over Australia's left-handers in the 2019 Ashes.

Yet both Broad and Warner expect things to be markedly different this summer with the Kookaburra ball, which swings considerably less than the Dukes used in England, on batter-friendly Australian pitches.

2019 Ashes: Warner's seven deadly sins against Broad

Broad and Jofra Archer kept a remarkable hold over Warner during the 2-2 series draw in the UK two years ago, with the pair dismissing him in all 10 innings (Broad seven times, Archer three) for single digits all but twice.

In all, Broad took 16 wickets at 13.69 with a strike-rate of 25.4 against Australia's lefties in 2019, bowling largely around the wicket, compared to seven scalps at 56.14 against right-handers.

In Australia, however, Broad's advantage against left-handers has been neutered in the past – he has averaged 33.86 to lefties and 34.78 to right-handers on his past two visits to Australia – and the 35-year-old believes England will need a fresh plan this summer.

"I'm very aware the challenge of bowling to David Warner with the Kookaburra in Australia is very different to (bowling) in England with the Dukes," Broad told Fox Cricket.

"What pleased me in 2019 – I did a lot of research before the series, he was someone I always felt I never got it right to and he was someone who we as a team were very wary of, because he can take the game away from you.

Warner finds new foe in battle of England

"We came up with this plan of bowling a bit fuller, bowl at the stumps and if you miss, miss leg-side because if you miss off-side, he hits you for four.

"The pitches had a little bit of nip in them and once we got two or three wickets in, it almost became a bit of a mental thing.

"But I'm very aware he'll be very focused for this Ashes series in conditions where (it is) harder to bowl a fuller length."

Broad and Archer (who will miss the Ashes due to an elbow injury) were equally effective against Harris in 2019 after he replaced the right-handed Cameron Bancroft for the final three Tests.

The pair removed him in five of his six knocks (Broad on three occasions) and he did not score more than 19 for the series.

Harris goes large with timely Shield ton

Harris has since put considerable time into rectifying the technical flaws those two bowlers exposed, particularly from an around-the-wicket angle, working closely with another left-hander, former Test opener Chris Rogers, who is now at the helm of his state side, Victoria.

It looks to have paid dividends, with Harris scoring 655 runs at 54.58 including three centuries in a stint with English county side Leicestershire this year, coming off the back of averaging 63.18 in the Marsh Sheffield Shield last summer.

The 29-year-old then struck a match-winning 137 last week to begin the current Shield season against NSW.

"It's very different, that challenge against the Kookaburra in Australia to the Dukes in England," said Rogers.

"The ball is not going to be swinging anywhere near as much, but no doubt there will still be that challenge for 'Harry'.

"It (a perceived weakness against right-arm bowlers operating from around the wicket) has been widely recognised, so just about every bowler comes around the wicket and targets him straight away. So he's had plenty of experience in the last 12 months against that and has performed really well – he's averaged over 55 in all first-class competitions.

"We are seeing him continually improve that and hopefully he gets another opportunity to show that he's addressed a couple of those issues."

Australian selectors could also look to recall Khawaja, either as an opener – where he has limited recent experience – or further down the order.

The Queensland captain has started the Shield season in style, scoring consecutive hundreds for the reigning champions and has an impressive Test record, with a batting average of 53 in Australia, including six hundreds.

Khawaja makes statement with second straight Shield century

He too had his struggles during the 2019 Ashes, losing his spot in the side after the third Test at Headingley, which remains his most recent appearance for Australia.

"If I ever get selected for Test cricket again, I would love to bat anywhere – it doesn't really bother me," Khawaja, who averages almost 100 in Test cricket from seven innings as an opener, said last month.

"I think the selectors know that.

"I don't even worry about Test selection or Test cricket anymore. I have learnt from my past. I don't even bother about it anymore. I just play the game for Queensland."

Vodafone Men's Ashes v England

First Test: December 8-12, The Gabba

Second Test: December 16-20, Adelaide Oval

Third Test: December 26-30, MCG

Fourth Test: January 5-9, SCG

Fifth Test: January 14-18, Perth Stadium