Never the one to get over-excited, Adam Gilchrist said he will refrain from predicting any scoreline, like some of his compatriots, and say nothing more than Australia starting the upcoming Ashes series as favourites against England.

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The 2015 Ashes series starts in England with the first Test scheduled for July 8-12 in Cardiff.

Australia, who are currently touring the West Indies, are on a high having beaten India in the Test series at home before winning the World Cup.

England, one the other hand, drew their last two Test series – against the West Indies in the Caribbean and against New Zealand at home.

The current state of English cricket, along with all the drama around Kevin Pietersen and the England and Wales Cricket Board, prompted former Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath to forecast a 5-0 sweep for Michael Clarke and his men.

But Gilchrist, who was in Dubai yesterday for the announcement of the new Masters Champions League (MCL) Twenty20 tournament for retired cricketers, refused to get drawn into any bold predictions.

“I don’t want to make any predictions of scoreline, but I do think our guys start favourites and we will go from there,” said the former Australian wicket-keeper, who 
took 379 catches and executed 37 stumpings in his 96-match Test career.

“I think we have a very strong bowling line up at the moment – especially in the seam department. The batsman scores the runs, but Test cricket is all about taking those 20 wickets and our guys are well positioned for it.”

Gilchrist also did not want to delve too much into the absence of Pietersen and the effect it could have on the series result, saying the former England batsman’s saga is a “closed book” .

“Michael Clarke is on record saying he is glad Pietersen is not playing because he feels he is a danger,” said Gilchrist, one of the most explosive batsmen in the history of the game, with 33 hundreds in Tests and ODIs.

“No doubt KP is a world-class player and he is still producing some very impressive results. But regardless of my opinion, it seems like a closed book now.

“Andrew Strauss and ECB made that call and so there is probably not much use talking about it or having any hypothetical scenario. The reality is, he is not there,” Gilchrist  concluded.