Friday sees the start of one of the most significant cricket events on the calendar as Australia hosts England in their 2025-26 Ashes series. The Ashes have been contested since 1883, with Australia winning 34 times, England 32, and seven draws.
The Aussies are the defending champions, having won the 2021-22 series and kept the trophy via a series draw in 2023.
This Ashes series will be played over the traditional five Tests. The first Test is in Perth, before matches in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne (Boxing Day Test), and finally at the SGC in Sydney.
Here is a look ahead at the contest.
Australia VS England Venue: Perth Stadium, Perth
Australia VS England 1st Test Date: Friday, November 21 to Tuesday, November 25
Australia VS England Odds:
History
The last time that England won an Ashes series in Australia was in 2010/11. The last time that England won a single Test in Australia was in 2010/11.
The English are on a run of 15 Tests in a row Down Under without a single victory. It is a shockingly barren run, but this series promises to be different for England. Led by Ben Stokes as captain and Brendon McCullum as head coach, they look to be in the best shape to challenge the Australians since their success 15 years ago.
Australia
Australia will start this Ashes series without two of its best bowlers. Captain Pat Cummins and pacer Josh Hazlewood aren’t just two of the best bowlers that the Aussies can roll out; they are two of the very best in the business.
Replacements Scott Boland and potentially Brendan Doggett on debut are both fine players. They do not have the experience and mystique of the pair they are replacing, a duo who have skittled England time after time.
England
This feels like a Test that England has to win. If the tourists cannot beat their hosts without two of their best pacers, then how will they have any chance over the next month and a half as Cummins and Hazlewood are brought back into the fold?
Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood, and Jofra Archer present a bowling attack that is going to cause serious problems. Archer and Wood, in particular, can take over Tests when they find their rhythm.
Best Bets
The pitch will play a massive role in Perth. The wicket is very green, with the theory being that the lateral movement will catch out England’s aggressive style.
The theory is solid, but Australia’s top order has been inconsistent over the last 12 months, and there is plenty of pace in the England bowling lineup for this to backfire spectacularly.
It wouldn’t shock me at all if England win this, and at 29/20 they are the value play.
Joe Root is 11/4 to be England’s top batsman. So much of how this team goes depends on Root, but he has never played well in Tests Down Under. He averages 36 runs per innings, and he has never hit a century in Australia. I like him to break that streak in the first Test, given his outstanding recent form.
