Buchanan warns against Ashes complacency

John Buchanan doesn't expect the forthcoming Ashes to be a cakewalk for Australia © Getty Images

John Buchanan, the Australia coach, has warned his players not to get too complacent in the Ashes later this year against an England side hampered by injury worries to key players. His comments follow the news of Michael Vaughan pulling out of the tour due to a knee injury.

Besides Vaughan, Simon Jones too is likely to miss the Ashes after the ECB confirmed last month that he will need five months to recover from his knee injury knee. Ashley Giles is yet to recover from a hip injury while Andrew Flintoff is currently nursing a crocked ankle, which has ruled him out of the first Test against Pakistan at Lord's next week.

However, with the tour still four months away, Buchanan was well aware of the likelihood of the players recuperating in time to defend the Ashes. "England would probably be really relishing this sort of challenge, trying to beat us without him [Vaughan]," Buchanan told The Courier Mail. "However, they will have months to prepare and plan for not having him for the Ashes and there are plenty of other dangermen in their side."

Buchanan added that England's recent poor form could make them more determined to beat Australia. England lost all five one-day matches to Sri Lanka at home after drawing the Tests 1-1 and will be up against a strong Pakistan side for the rest of the summer.

"Have a look at the way they have approached things, you can't read too much into the way they are playing," he said. "A number of their best players aren't on the field, but one would suspect that 90% of their players from last year's Ashes will be here this summer."