Australia naming Pat Cummins as Test captain ahead of the Ashes series could weigh heavily into England's favour if their top order can get going, according to former Test quick Steve Harmison.
The two-time Ashes winner and 63-Test pace bowler for England believes his former side could place huge pressure on Cummins to bowl more overs than planned if the likes of Joe Root, Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed and Dawid Malan get going.
Cummins' elevation as Tim Paine's successor over Steve Smith, who will act as deputy, has been a key talking point heading into the series not least because he's the first pace bowler in over 50 years to occupy the dual role of pace bowler and captain in the Test side.
The 28-year-old and arguably the world's No. 1 Test bowler will also see his workload lessened as he juggles his bowling duties with setting fields, drawing up strategy and all the other extra responsibilities that come with the captaincy.
Harmison doesn't doubt Cummins possesses the qualities to lead effectively for Australia - but predicts England could exploit the situation by forcing him to think outside the box early in the series.
"If England's top order can pile on the runs, it'll put pressure on Cummins to perhaps bowl when he doesn't want to or more than he should," Harmison said courtesy of an interview with indiabetting.co.in.
"If a bowler is not hitting their stride and England start putting on a partnership, where is the next wicket coming from?
"He may need to think outside the box and deviate from his game plan if we start to get on top of them in the runs. It will put pressure on Pat Cummins the bowler and Pat Cummins the captain because then he has to start thinking a lot more and it's mentally draining.
"When you are mentally tired and physically tired, you start making mistakes, as a bowler and a captain. That is going to be Cummins' challenge over the next few weeks in an Ashes series if England start getting runs in the top of the order."
While Cummins has experience captaining NSW's one-day side the duties as Test skipper are far more mentally and physically draining and Harmison believes this could be telling on Australia's leader towards the back end of the series.
"For me, Cummins is the best bowler in the world. If it starts overwhelming and overloading on him and he gets a niggle or loss of form, it could spell trouble for Australia particularly given his former injury problems," he added.
"He can't afford to miss every third or fourth test if there is a problem. But he's respected in the game and inside the dressing room and that means he will be a good leader of men.
"Captaincy is simple, you are only as good as your team and often only as good as your bowling attack of which the skipper is one of them. Both bowling units will take 20 wickets, it's whoever can bat for longest and score the most runs."
TWO FACTORS VITAL TO ENGLAND PULLING OFF RARE ASHES VICTORY IN AUSTRALIA
In the last 40 years, England have claimed the Ashes just twice on Australian soil – in 1986-87 and 2010-11 – yet both occasions came off the back of unstoppable run-scoring form from the side's top order.
Harmison stressed a rare victory in this year's series for England lies on the shoulders of the likes of Burns, Hameed, Malan and Root.
"For both sides, the single biggest thing is top order runs. Big runs from your 1-2-3, that's the main one," Harmison stressed.
"Both bowling units will take 20 wickets on any surface. England in the past have won in 1986, when Chris Broad got a boatload of runs and in 2010/11, when (Alastair) Cook, (Andrew) Stauss and (Jonathan) Trott got a load of runs opening the batting.
"It's no coincidence that Australia dominated world cricket with (Matthew) Hayden, (Justin) Langer and (Ricky) Ponting all playing over 100 Test matches each and they were formidable at 1-2-3 - that for me is where this series is going to be run, top-order runs."
He did concede Australia are better equipped in this department.
"Australia's 1-2-3 are better than England's 1-2-3, whichever way they go," Harmison said. "But looking at the middle order, Smith, Khawaja and Head or Green against Root, Stokes and Bairstow, then you think England's middle-order is more-suited, and then you have Buttler over Carey.
"From a batting perspective, if England can knock over Australia's 1-2-3 and expose that middle order, then they have a chance of winning. England need their top order to fire in respect that their middle order can put enough runs on the board to give their bowlers a chance to win the Test matches.
Harmison also said Root's luck with the toss was crucial to pulling off an upset.
"Firstly, the toss is going to be crucial. In Brisbane if there is any movement in the surface and the air, you need to win that toss. And in Adelaide it's a day-night game - you dictate when you're bowling with the pink ball moving at its most - it's massive. You then have got the best chance of dictating what happens in the game," he added.
"To win any series, you need a bit of luck, the toss, DRS, decisions like umpire's call. All these things need to go in England's favour because it's so hard to win in Australia."
ENGLAND 'LICKING THEIR LIPS' AS WEATHER LOOMS
Weather is certain to be a decisive factor in the series opener starting Wednesday in Brisbane plus Tests in Melbourne and Sydney as Australia's east coast continues to endure rainfall from the La Nina weather event.
It's already affected both sides' preparations leading into the Gabba Test as intra-squad matches and net sessions have been limited or called off.
Harmison said England will be quietly confident with the looming weather and believes their squad are set up to take advantage should rain showers strike.
"England will be licking their lips at any sign of greenness if the bad weather persists. It's not too dissimilar to England at this moment in time, and that plays into our hands," the paceman, who took 226 Test wickets, said
"If there is cloud cover in Brisbane or lateral movement in the surface, England have the two greatest bowlers of all time to exploit those conditions in Anderson and Broad, along with Chris Woakes.
"It's easy to write Broad and Anderson off as a bowling duo overseas these days, but with a pink ball test and potentially dodgy weather, England will be thanking their lucky stars to have them in their squad for this series.
"If the first two pitches play more like English wickets and Joe Root wins the first couple of tosses, I truly believe we can make some early inroads and get on top quickly in the series."