Gatting calls 'England to face backlash in Oz in return Ashes' suggestions 'laughable'

Former England captain Mike Gatting has dismissed suggestions that England may face a 'backlash' when they defend the Ashes urn in Australia in the return series as 'laughable'.

Despite losing the recent Ashes series in England by a convincing 3-0 margin, Australia seems to have strengthened its 'rough and tough' outlook ahead of the return campaign, which starts with the first Test in Brisbane in November.

According to Sport24, however, Gatting, who led England to Ashes glory in Australia in 1986/87, laughed off the suggestions, saying that there is no one like former stalwarts Shane Warne or Glenn McGrath in the current team to help Australia achieve a 'backlash'.

Gatting, who was famously dismissed by leg-spin great Warne's 'ball of the century' at Old Trafford in 1993, also said that even though the Australians improved over the course of the summer series, it was expected as they are proud cricketers, adding that their batsmen let them down despite their good bowling attack.

Hailing the English side, Gatting further said that England had the quality to win the important moments in the series with both the ball and the bat, adding that the team was consistent all throughout the series as compared to their arch-rivals' and the tourists' inconsistencies.

Gatting also said that even if the two teams were very much the same, he would not expect the results to be any different from what it is now.