Over the course of the next few months, the cricketing world will turn its attention to the five Ashes tests taking place across the length and breadth of Australia. The series will commence in late November and last for just over six weeks, with the final and potentially decisive test scheduled to land eight days into the New Year. So, what’s at stake?
Ever since Ivo Bligh’s England suffered a humiliating defeat to a plucky Australian outfit more than 143 years ago, the two teams have routinely scrapped for possession of the coveted urn.
In the immediate aftermath of that catastrophic result at The Oval in 1882, Reginald Shirley Brooks had proclaimed that English cricket had died and been subsequently cremated, with the metaphorical ashes taken home by the triumphant visitors.
When the England captain and his embarrassed teammates avenged that earlier loss by beating Australia in their own backyard the following year, the hosts presented Bligh with an urn containing the ‘ashes’ of a burnt bail as a way of honouring Brooks’ satirical obituary.
From that moment onwards, each team’s relentless quest to acquire and retain ‘the ashes’ would come to define the intense nature of their rivalry.
After failing to win any of the last four Ashes series, the visitors are under significant pressure to wrestle back the initiative Down Under. However, the omens don’t look good. The Three Lions didn’t record a single test victory in either of their last two away series, having most recently won at an Australian stadium way back in January 2011.
On that occasion, England clinched the series in style with yet another dominant performance, beating the shellshocked Aussies by a full innings at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground.
Every ball of the 2025/26 Ashes series will be shown exclusively live on TNT Sports, while full coverage can also be accessed via the discovery+ app.
Schedule
For the first time in more than four decades, the opening test of an Australian Ashes series will not be staged in Brisbane. That particular honour goes to Perth Stadium this time around, despite the 65,000-seater venue having never previously hosted an Ashes match.
This also means that Western Australia is reincorporated into the Ashes roadmap, after the WACA Ground – Perth’s traditional flagship stadium – wasn’t used during the 2021/22 series.
Here’s a full breakdown of England’s tour:
1st Test: Perth Stadium, Perth (21st – 25th November)
2nd Test: The Gabba, Brisbane (4th – 8th December)
3rd Test: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (17th – 21st December)
4th Test: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne (26th – 30th December)
5th Test: Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney (4th – 8th January)
Recent form
Throughout the last few months, both Australia and England have contested ODI, T20I, and Test matches against a handful of the world’s highest-ranked teams.
Australia
Australia haven’t seen any test action since the beginning of the summer, when they travelled to the Caribbean for a three-match series with the West Indies.
The first test in Bridgetown produced an emphatic Aussie victory, as second innings half-centuries from Travis Head, Beau Webster, and Alex Carey left the West Indies with an insurmountable run chase. There was also a bowling masterclass from Josh Hazlewood as the ex-Sydney Sixers star delivered 5/43 in 12 overs, while the expensive-but-effective Mitchell Starc cleared three wickets early on.
Another dominant display from the visitors came in the second test at Grenada’s National Cricket Stadium, as Carey continued his excellent form with the bat by registering 93 runs across the two innings.
It was then Starc’s turn to steal the limelight once again, as he obliterated the hosts’ top order on his 100th test appearance. After removing fellow left-hander John Campbell with the first ball of the third day, Starc tricked Kevlon Anderson into conceding an lbw and rattled Brandon King’s stumps to claim an incredible triple-wicket opening over.
The 400th dismissal of his test career brought Mikyle Louis’ knock to a premature end, before the veteran completed the fastest five-wicket haul in test history by bowling out Barbadian big-hitter Shai Hope. That handed the visitors a comprehensive 3-0 win, resulting in Pat Cummins hoisting the Frank Worrell Trophy aloft in the Jamaican capital.
The Baggy Greens also went unbeaten in their T20I series against Oceania neighbours New Zealand, although a second test rain-off in Mount Maunganui prevented another seemingly inevitable clean sweep.
Andrew McDonald’s men found it much more challenging when they met India in ODI and T20I clashes throughout Autumn, as two capable opponents exchanged blows. A DLS-assisted triumph in the opening ODI match was followed by a narrow win at the Adelaide Oval, before India swept Australia aside in the series curtain-closer.
The first and final T20I tests were abandoned due to torrential rain in Canberra and Brisbane respectively, while India edged the hosts across the three fixtures in between. A staggering 82,000 spectators at the MCG watched Josh Hazlewood devastate the Men in Blue with ball in hand, which propelled Australia to a breakthrough victory.
However, slow pitches in Hobart and Carrara would flip the series on its head, as India’s spinners ruthlessly ripped through Australia’s batters.
England
It’s been a far tougher season for the Three Lions, who are still recovering from an abject ODI series in New Zealand. The Kiwis managed to overcome England in all three meetings, after batting second at the Bay Oval, Seddon Park, and the Sky Stadium.
However, there was at least a more favourable outcome in the preceding T20I sequence, as the visitors emerged victorious in the only matchup that didn’t fall victim to the rain. Before heading to the southern hemisphere in October, England experienced mixed fortunes in both the ODI and T20I series against South Africa, but were able to cruise past Ireland in two 40-over contests.
England’s recent white-ball endeavours came after an epic encounter with India, which concluded in a remarkable finale at The Oval.
A high-scoring affair at Headingley set the tone for the rest of the series, as India became the first team ever to lose a match despite having five players record a century. Both sides racked up more than 450 runs in the first innings, before Ben Duckett’s sensational knock of 149 ensured England chased down their target with five wickets remaining.
Although Jamie Smith delivered the highest-ever run tally set by an England wicket-keeper to surpass Alec Stewart’s long-standing record, India achieved an elusive first win at Edgbaston following another supreme batting performance.
Joe Root’s stunning century was in danger of proving fruitless after England were bowled out for just 192 in the second innings at Lord’s, but Ben Stokes and the returning Jofra Archer took three wickets each as India crumbled to defeat.
However, the touring visitors rediscovered their resolve in the penultimate test, staging a miraculous rearguard action following a huge first innings deficit.
Despite Stokes’ best efforts – the 34-year-old became the first England captain to deliver a century and five wickets in a single test match – India somehow held on for a draw to keep the series alive.
As a nerve-shredding fifth test approached its latter stages, England found themselves within 17 runs of India’s modest total following an extremely tight first innings. But disaster struck when Josh Tongue succumbed to Prasidh Krishna’s intelligent yorker, as this compelled crocked wicket-keeper Chris Woakes to report to the crease.
With his arm suspended in a sling, Woakes did everything in his power to stay off-strike, leaving Gus Atkinson on a one-man mission to drag the hosts over the finishing line. However, Mohammed Siraj had an agenda of his own.
The Gujarat Titans seamer hit Atkinson’s off stump with the first ball of the 86th over, ensuring a gripping series ended in stalemate.
Preparation
Although both teams have been active on the international stage of late, there’s a distinct lack of dedicated warm-up matches in the lead-up to this series.
Australia have arguably used November’s T20I meetings with India to build match fitness and finetune tactics ahead of the opener in Perth, but England’s last competitive series – the aforementioned clash with New Zealand on the other side of the Tasman Sea – concluded at the end of last month.
The ECB’s decision to schedule a solitary warm-up fixture was derided by many, with this criticism intensifying due to the profile of their opponents. Brendon McCullum’s men play the England Lions – a team consisting of promising youngsters and reserves to the senior England side – in a three-day test match at Lilac Hill Park.
Whether this proves to be a stern enough test ahead of a gruelling series against the world’s very best remains to be seen, but given that several members of Andrew Flintoff’s youthful England Lions squad narrowly missed out on a senior call-up, England’s first-team players at least face a handful of opponents with a point to prove.
The England Lions will conduct a mini tour of their own while based in Australia, with two further test matches planned following the mid-November meeting with England. Flintoff’s side return to Lilac Hill Park to take on a Cricket Australia XI, before clashing with Australia’s second-string outfit at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field in early December.
A ceremonial match between an England XI and a team selected by incumbent Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – the latest iteration of the iconic Prime Minister’s XI – is set to be played in Canberra just before the second Ashes test.
Full list of ‘warm-up’ fixtures:
13th – 15th November: England vs. England Lions (Lilac Hill Park, Brisbane)
21st – 24th November: Cricket Australia XI vs. England Lions (Lilac Hill Park, Brisbane)
29th – 30th November: Prime Minister’s XI vs. England XI (Manuka Oval, Canberra)
5th – 8th December: Australia A vs. England Lions (Allan Border Field, Brisbane)
Squad lists
Although the two squads have only recently been assembled, both Andrew McDonald and Brendon McCullum have several injury headaches to contend with.
As he’s still yet to fully recover from lumbar bone stress in his lower back, influential captain Pat Cummins is set to miss the first test. Although he’s expected to be fit enough to feature at The Gabba next month, Australia will undoubtedly miss Cummins’s presence in Perth.
Nevertheless, vice-captain Steve Smith has proved himself to be a competent deputy in recent times, while the experienced Scott Boland comes in as an able replacement.
A potential double injury blow surfaced soon after Cummins’ absence was confirmed, with fast-paced bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott both picking up hamstring injuries while representing New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield.
Although Hazlewood has been given the green light to play, Abbott will sit out the opener after being diagnosed with a ‘moderate-grade’ issue.
Two of England’s most experienced players struggled with shoulder problems throughout the summer, but only one made it on the plane to Australia. Following his omission from the Ashes squad, Chris Woakes announced his retirement from international cricket.
The Warwickshire favourite suffered a nasty dislocation on the final day of this summer’s thrilling series against India, while Ben Stokes missed the fifth test altogether after tearing a shoulder muscle during the previous match at Old Trafford. Despite not having played any first-class cricket since July, the Three Lions skipper appears to be available for selection.
There’s also been a positive update regarding Mark Wood’s progress, as the Durham ace aims to end a prolonged period on the sidelines. Almost nine months on from sustaining a serious knee injury during England’s ICC Champions Trophy meeting with Afghanistan, Wood is training well as he aims for an imminent return to action.
Confirmed squad lists (subject to change pending further injuries/withdrawals):
Australia
Pat Cummins (captain)
Steve Smith (vice-captain)
Sean Abbott
Scott Boland
Alex Carey (wicket-keeper)
Brendan Doggett
Cameron Green
Josh Hazlewood
Travis Head
Josh Inglis (wicket-keeper)
Usman Khawaja
Marnus Labuschagne
Nathan Lyon
Mitchell Starc
Sean Abbott (replaces Cummins in first test)
Jake Weatherald
Beau Webster
England
Ben Stokes (captain)
Harry Brook (vice-captain)
Jofra Archer
Gus Atkinson
Shoaib Bashir
Jacob Bethell
Brydon Carse
Zak Crawley
Ben Duckett
Will Jacks
Ollie Pope (wicket-keeper)
Matthew Potts
Joe Root
Jamie Smith (wicket-keeper)
Josh Tongue
Mark Wood
Meet the captains
Entrusted to make bold tactical decisions, choose opportune moments to introduce new bowlers into the attack, and adjust in-game strategies based on the weather, player performance, and other variables, the two captains often have a direct impact on the outcome of a match.
Pat Cummins and Ben Stokes will hope to successfully demonstrate these behaviours when they lock horns in Australia this winter, as both men have in previous Ashes series over the years….
Pat Cummins
Having been announced as Australia’s new test captain less than a fortnight before the 2021/22 Ashes series commenced, Pat Cummins was braced for a baptism of fire as he prepared for the first test in Brisbane. However, he thrived under the inevitable pressure that comes with captaining a national side.
Leading by example at the Gabba, ‘Postman Pat’ claimed seven wickets – five of which came courtesy of an inspired first-innings performance – to help the Aussies take an early 1-0 lead. Cummins continued in this vein throughout his next three appearances, as the hosts put England to the sword in emphatic fashion.
Although he was forced to self-isolate during the second test after dining in close proximity to a coronavirus case, the 2019 ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year concluded proceedings as the leading wicket taker for the third consecutive Ashes series.
However, it was a completely different experience in England eighteen months later. With Australia unable to assert a similar level of dominance to what they had in the previous Ashes series, Cummins was subjected to mounting criticism for his allegedly defensive bowling tactics, vulnerable fielding set-up, and ‘frazzled’ demeanour.
His integrity was also questioned – at least by journalists working for English media outlets – following the controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow during the second test at Lord's. The Aussie skipper had watched Bairstow leave his crease before the ball was officially dead on several previous occasions, so encouraged wicket-keeper Alex Carey to hit the bails if the opportunity presented itself.
Carey duly obliged when Bairstow went for his next wander, ensuring Cummins played a decisive role in one of the most contentious dismissals in the game’s history.
Despite all the rancour that surrounded him during the 2023 series, the Sydney-born seamer still managed to deliver his main objective. Australia drew the series 2-2 after riding a late England storm, enabling them to maintain custody of the urn.
Ben Stokes
Having previously served under Joe Root as vice-captain, Ben Stokes assumed full leadership responsibilities following the Yorkshireman’s decision to relinquish the captaincy in April 2022. Less than a month later, inspirational coach Brendon McCullum was appointed.
The pair immediately set about revolutionising England’s approach, successfully converting them from a slow and predictable side to one full of aggression, ambition, and attacking energy.
This vibrant new playing style – labelled as ‘Bazball’ in honour of McCullum’s nickname ‘Baz’ – began to pay dividends on the pitch and in the stands, as fans flocked to see exhilarating run chases, wickets tumble in quick succession, and a captain who refused to allow his team to settle for a draw.
Stokes’ first Ashes as England skipper produced a mixed bag of results, as the rollercoaster 2023 series ebbed and flowed in dramatic fashion. After registering just one run in the first innings of the opening test, Stokes delivered an extraordinary batting performance at Lord’s as the Three Lions attempted to quickly level up the series.
Fuelled by the apparent injustice of Bairstow’s stumping, the talented all-rounder racked up nine sixes – the most any player has ever managed in a single Ashes innings – on his way to a colossal 155 runs.
Despite his valiant efforts in the capital and an impressive second innings knock of 43 at Edgbaston, England headed into the third test with a 2-0 deficit, the first time this had happened in a home Ashes series since the disastrous 2001 campaign.
However, Stokes’ never-say-die attitude would rub off on his charges, as England courageously battled back to thwart Australia’s progress.
At the same ground he claimed the Man of the Match award in an era-defining Cricket World Cup final in 2019, Stokes eclipsed 10,000 runs in first-class cricket by contributing handsomely to England’s match-winning tally at Headingley.
A further half-century came in the next test before the rain prevented the hosts from capitalising on their considerable first-innings advantage, as the two teams left Manchester with a share of the spoils.
That result meant Australia would retain the Ashes regardless of what happened in the fifth and final test, but England still had the opportunity to complete their unlikely comeback and claim a hard-earned draw.
Although he only managed to accumulate 45 runs across the two innings at The Oval, the ex-Northern Superchargers hero partially avenged Alex Carey’s gamesmanship in Birmingham, securing the wicket-keeper’s dismissal by recording his 100th catch in test cricket.
The home side went on to comfortably beat the Baggy Greens by 49 runs, ensuring Stokes avoided becoming the first England captain to lose his maiden Ashes series since Alastair Cook failed to prevent an Australian whitewash just under a decade earlier.