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Ashes 2025/26: All you need to know as England search for rare away win

England will need to be at their best to beat Australia in Australia
England will need to be at their best to beat Australia in AustraliaGARETH COPLEY / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / Getty Images via AFP

All the details of the Ashes 2025/26 series, where Ben Stokes' side will be looking to win the urn back for the first time since losing it in 2018.

Ashes schedule

First Test

Venue: Optus Stadium, Perth

Dates: November 21st to November 25th

UK start time: 2.30 am

Second Test (day/night)

Venue: Gabba, Brisbane

Dates: December 4th to December 8th

UK start time: 4:30 am

Third Test

Venue: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

Dates: December 17th to December 21st

UK start time: 00:00 am

Fourth Test

Venue: MCG, Melbourne

Dates: December 26th to December 30th

UK start time: 23:30 pm

Fifth Test

Venue: SCG, Sydney

Dates: January 4th to January 8th

UK start time: 23.30 pm

Australia squad

TBC

England squad

Ben Stokes (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (vice-captain), Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.

Where can UK fans watch and listen?

Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to watch all the action on TNT Sports and discovery+, while the BBC's iconic Test Match Special will be on hand for those leaving their bedside radios on overnight.

How have England fared in the past?

England have not had a lot of joy in recent visits to Australia for the Ashes. They have lost 13 of the last 15 Tests there, and if Ben Stokes' side win this series, it will be only the second time since 1986/87 that they have managed an away Ashes win.

However, this is largely seen as England's best chance for some time. A potent pace attack had been earmarked for this series since the retirement of England's swing-bowling legend James Anderson last summer, and the respective workloads of that attack have been suitably managed ahead of the upcoming tour.

While Anderson will likely be remembered as England's greatest fast bowler of all time, there were question marks over whether his swing bowling was as effective down under.

As it is, England now have Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Matthew Potts to call upon - the majority of whom, particularly Archer and Wood, have the ability to cause real promblems for batters with their sheer pace. That's even without knowing if all-rounder and skipper Stokes will play much of a bowling role over the next few months.

While England's bowlers have traditionally toiled on Australian pitches that offer plenty of bounce but not much movement in the air, the current crop have a more Australian look about them and are therefore poised to go toe-to-toe with their counterparts.

There are still some slight issues in the batting column but nobody can accuse Brendon McCullum of not planning for this series. He's given the likes of Zak Crawley lengthy rope when it comes to keeping him in the top order despite his poor form at times, while Ollie Pope and Jacob Bethell will improve each other in their battle for the number-three berth.

The key man, though, is undoubtedly Joe Root. Despite being heralded as one of the game's greats, Root has rather incredibly never scored an Ashes century in Australia. He's determined to fix that in this series, though, and if he does it will no doubt be remembered as one of the most closely-fought Ashes showdowns in recent memory.

Head-to-head record

Overall

Total series: 73

Australia won: 34

England won: 32

Drawn: 7

In Australia

Total series: 36

Australia won: 20

England won: 14

Drawn: 2

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