Former captain Steve Waugh insists there is ‘no reason’ Australia can’t win the Ashes series this year.

Australia are the reigning Ashes champions and will commence a five-Test series against arch-rivals England at Edgbaston in early August.

The tourists have been buoyed by the return of former captain Steven Smith and batsmen David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.

Smith, Bancroft and Warner served suspensions for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal that marred last year’s Test tour of South Africa. Those bans have since ended and they have been included in Australia’s provisional 25-man squad for the Ashes. The party will be trimmed down to 16 soon.

‘They have had great preparation. No stone has been left unturned. There are no excuses. We have a really good squad and it has actually been strengthened by the fact Steve, David and Cameron haven’t been there as it has presented opportunities to others,’ Waugh told Sky Sports.

‘We have good depth and there is no reason we can’t win. There are selection decisions to be made but we are not short of options.’

Waugh praised new coach Justin Langer and captain Tim Paine, who succeeded Darren Lehmann and Smith, respectively, after 2018’s ball-tampering saga.

‘Langer is a real father figure and has given the guys life perspective, while I think Paine has done an excellent job as leader,’ he added.

‘Paine has found a balance between the Australian way of being positive and aggressive but not crossing that line. That was always going to be a challenge, and you can’t please everyone.’

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