England's Ashes debutants face a baptism of fire in Thursday's opening test at the Gabba, where four years ago the tourists' batsmen crumbled under an Australian short-pitched bowling assault. Joe Root's team spent their final tour match in Townsville last week trying to acclimatise to the muggy conditions that will greet them in Brisbane but few of the players will have any inkling of the challenge that awaits them. The 'Gabbatoir' has proved impregnable to visiting teams for nearly 30 years, with its willing pitch, stifling weather and hostile crowds adding up to one of the world's tougher introductions to a test series. Only Root, former skipper Alastair Cook, Stuart Broad and James Anderson remain from the England team that suffered a 381-run hiding at the Gabba in 2013/14, when a marauding Mitchell Johnson took nine wickets and set the tone for the series.

Australia's skipper Steve Smith (L) and England captain Joe Root smile as they pose at a media opportunity in Brisbane on November 22, 2017, ahead of the first Test of the Ashes Series. Pic/AFP