Nevermind the traditional Ashes, says Tanya Aldred. The clash between India and Pakistan is the real deal:

This time things are, if not normal, calmer. The third meeting in less than two years has produced shouts of overkill and greed from some quarters, though not many. The hype is still enormous but the posturing less ridiculous and the military similes are simmering nicely but not jumping out of the pot.

She does, however, remind us that there are but 315 days until England once again lock horns with the Antipodeans...