One of the big changes in Test cricket in the era of media saturation has been the amount of talking/predicting done by the competitors in the lead up to a series. Never is this more evident than in an Ashes series and one of the big talking points leading into the 2017-18 version of Australia versus England, was discussion surrounding the venue. The Gabbatoir, as it is now commonly referred to by locals in the hope that this will lead to the slaughtering of England, was the focal point of much of what really amounted to trash talking.

Kevin Mitchell Jr poses with Australian captain Steve Smith during Day Two of the Brisbane Test on Friday. Mitchell Jr has been preparing the Gabba pitch for the last 27 years. Pic/Getty Images