Will the Ashes prove to be a case of after the Lord Mayor’s show or the cherry on top of the most extraordinary cricketing summer in England?
Only two-and-a-half weeks after helping England to World Cup glory for the first time, Joe Root will lead out his charges for the first of five Tests at Edgbaston on August 1.
Here, PA looks at some of the pressing issues ahead of the showdown between the two old rivals.
Are the Ashes an afterthought?
England won the World Cup for the first time earlier this month (Nick Potts/PA)
The start of context to Test cricket
Lord’s is due to host the final of the World Test Championship in June 2021 (Steven Paston/PA)
Roy of the openers
Australia will not relish facing Jason Roy again (Nigel French/PA)
Any more new faces?
Keaton Jennings has been dropped (Simon Cooper/PA)
In the treatment room
James Anderson is a doubt for the first Ashes Test (Mike Egerton/PA)