The Ashes | 2025-26 | 5 tests | Nov 21 to Jan 08 | Discussion Thread

[Nikola]

Root has struggled mostly against Cummins & Hazelwood, and with both of them missing the first test, and I suspect a few more tests, he has his best chance to score a century and go big in this series. He needs to be careful of Boland though, someone who has troubled him in Australia in the past. England's best chance to win the Ashes as well.

 

My prediction:

 

Most Runs: Brook/Root

Most Wickets: Boland

 

Result: England Win (3-2) or Draw (2-2)

Edited November 17, 2025 by Nikola

[Gollum]

Super excited for the Ashes this time, almost there. 

[Lone Wolf]

Excitement is building up... Really excited for an Ashes down under after a long while

 

India v SA contest looks meh in comparison 

[Gollum]

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gollum]

28 minutes ago, Lone Wolf said:

Excitement is building up... Really excited for an Ashes down under after a long while

 

India v SA contest looks meh in comparison 

Goras know how to market a product. Indians lag far behind. With a more proactive BCCI (making schedules/bookings in advance for visiting fans), good pitches and coverage, marquee venues, a 3 or 4 test series vs RSA would have been a blockbuster. Imagine Rabada running in to bowl to Jaiswal on a chilly morning, with 5000 RSA fans shouting and an awesome DJ elevating the atmosphere, 5th test vs Eng last year had that epic feel to it despite being a dead rubber. 

Edited November 20, 2025 by Gollum

[Lone Wolf]

11 minutes ago, Gollum said:

Goras know how to market a product. Indians lag far behind. With a more proactive BCCI (making schedules/bookings in advance for visiting fans), good pitches and coverage, marquee venues, a 3 or 4 test series vs RSA would have been a blockbuster. Imagine Rabada running in to bowl to Jaiswal on a chilly morning, with 5000 RSA fans shouting and an awesome DJ elevating the atmosphere, 5th test vs Eng last year had that epic feel to it despite being a dead rubber. 

Yeah that Dharamsala test build up was something else.  Approx 7-8 thousand English supporters attended that game.

 

That was good marketing by HPCA too tbh..

 

SA aren't that big a draw with no big household names but I agree BCCI did a terrible job with marketing as they usually do.

Taking fans and TV rights for granted, viewing experience is sh*t overall with mediocre commentary to boot.

 

Stadiums look ugly in comparison to every South African stadium let alone first world English and Australian.

[sage]

I think root will do well this time

[Gollum]

Can't get easier for Root this time. No Cummins, Hazlewood to start off. And as per reports coming in, Perth won't be as spicy as recent years.

 

Mitchell Starc on the Optus pitch: "I don't expect to see it do as much as you all anticipate it to do."

[The Hound]

 

This might be the most nerdy reply to a sledge ever lol 

 

[diga]

7 minutes ago, The Hound said:

 

This might be the most nerdy reply to a sledge ever lol 

 

 

 

Wow... panesar ka bhara bhaj gaya 

 

Smith 

 

 

[goose]

monty says eng should go in hard with sandpaper gate. smith fights back !

 

 

 

[Lone Wolf]

3 hours ago, The Hound said:

 

This might be the most nerdy reply to a sledge ever lol 

 

"Doesn't really bother me".. 

 

Panesar clearly has him rattled here.  He is digging old footages of him to mock him lol..

[Gollum]

Preview by Bharat Sundaresan

It all now comes down to one final question. Can England finish their story?

Four years ago, England left these shores not simply having lost another Ashes series. They had lost their spirit, and some might say even their dignity as a Test team. It was simply that bad. It was simply that humiliating. In some ways, they had been laid flat along with Rory Burns' leg stump pretty much after the first delivery of the series in Brisbane.

And they lay there on the mat staring at the ceiling for the next seven or so weeks as Australia ran roughshod over them. Knocked out and pummelled into submission.

Having hit rock bottom, it's from the ashes of that 2021-22 Ashes debacle that England embraced an attitude adjustment before establishing a new world order as a Test team. That was the birth of what is commonly referred to as Bazball. While there's been a lot said and written about England's transformation from that point on, everything that's transpired in the interim has sort of felt a bit incidental in the bigger picture. For, through every spectacular win and equally sensational loss that's resulted from England's gung-ho approach ever since, the focus for Ben Stokes and his team has always seemed to centre around whether their new finishing move would work on Australian soil.

Not only to make up for the embarrassment from four years ago, but to avenge it. To give Australia a dose of their own medicine. To win back their dignity. To get back their pride. And to ultimately get their hands on the urn. This is their Wrestlemania Main Event. It all comes down to this. For if Australia manage to kick out of this and find a way to be triumphant again, then you wonder if there's anything left in the English arsenal.

Every Ashes series has its own dramatic build-up, a lot of promos cut from fans and experts of both countries. But maybe because of how different this England team comes across in terms of both their aura and their freakish performances in the last three-and-a-half years, there's a unique vibe this time around. Like England actually have the firepower to not just knock the Aussies off their feet on home soil, but to even keep them there for the count.

You can feel it in the way the Australian fans and even the former players are talking them up. You can also witness it with the palpably massive interest that surrounds this particular Ashes. Like we truly are on the cusp of an iconic series, even before the first ball's been bowled.

That sense of belief among the English faithful is accentuated by the fact that around 40,000 English fans have descended upon the city of Perth, which has officially run out of hotel rooms. With all your traditional hotel booking websites saying "99 per cent of their properties had been sold out" even two weeks out from the first Test. It's the same with ticket sales at Perth Stadium, with no tickets available for the first three days of this game at a venue which has never quite filled up every seat for a Test match.

With Australia having lost both Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood for the first Test, there's even additional significance to this opening Test with England now with their best chance to take an early lead in an away Ashes series.

But in classic Stokes' fashion he wasn't ready to buy too much into the overimportance laid on this Ashes when it came to how it could define the legacy of his Test team. When asked if this Ashes series was indeed a culmination or if it was more a monumental destination for his Bazballing team, Stokes chose to play it down.

"I understand what the series means in my journey as England captain. It's certainly the biggest series that I will lead the side in. I'm aware of that, Brendon's aware of that as coach, Rob Key is aware of that in his role as well. For me personally, it's not going to detract from what I've given to my role as England captain. It's been three-and-a-half years, a lot of time and effort put into this role, something I've thoroughly enjoyed. I wake up every morning loving what I do, because it's the greatest honour in English cricket to lead this team out. But by no means does that mean that I'm not desperate to be an Ashes winner."

Or in other words, a team desperate to finish its story.

When: Australia v England, 1st Ashes Test, November 21, 2025, 10:20 hrs Local Time, 13:20 hrs AEDT, 07:50 hrs IST

Where: Perth Stadium, Perth

What to expect: The Test pitches in Perth have generated immense interest for decades, firstly at the WACA and even more so at the Perth Stadium. While it always does start off with a green tinge on top, there's also enough moisture that needs to be left on top by curator Isaac Mcdonald to ensure that the harsh Perth sun doesn't dry it out too quickly for then cracks to start making an appearance, which it does inevitably, and is one of the reasons why Nathan Lyon has such good numbers here. The next few days aren't expected to be as hot as last summer, when the surface did get baked significantly. But as history suggests, batting first is the way to go here, even for Stokes, it would mean going against his own principles. Making it an even more intriguing prospect than it already is.

Team News

Australia

It's been firming up to be Jake Weatherald's moment of glory for a few weeks now, and especially after he was picked in the squad for the first Test. And he will be the one partnering Usman Khawaja as the latest Test opener for Australia. Meanwhile, sharing the new ball should be the other 31-year-old on debut, Brendan Doggett, who gets his long-awaited chance to get his Baggy Green. That also means Marnus Labuschagne is back at his normal position of No 3 and Cameron Green returns to No 6 to play as the genuine all-rounder.

Playing XI: Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett

England

While the main scrutiny within the English camp has been around Mark Wood's fitness, the only question that now remains is if they go with the spinner in Shoaib Bashir, to possibly use the deteriorating pitch late in the Test, which would force Stokes to bat first if he wins the toss, or if they stick with a five-man pace attack that will include Brydon Carse. Maybe it is purely a case of them wanting to see the look of the pitch once on the morning of the Test before taking that call.

Probable XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse/Shoaib Bashir, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer

 

Australia (playing XI) : Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland

 

Squads:

 

England Squad: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes(c), Jamie Smith(w), Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Matthew Potts, Josh Tongue, Will Jacks

 

Australia Squad: Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith(c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland, Beau Webster, Josh Inglis, Michael Neser

[Gollum]

Just 9.5 hours to go !!!!!

[Gollum]

@Lone Wolf

 

40,000 English fans have descended upon the city of Perth, which has officially run out of hotel rooms. With all your traditional hotel booking websites saying "99 per cent of their properties had been sold out" even two weeks out from the first Test. It's the same with ticket sales at Perth Stadium, with no tickets available for the first three days of this game at a venue which has never quite filled up every seat for a Test match.
 

[goose]

proper cricket. no interest in india

[Lone Wolf]

1 hour ago, Gollum said:

@Lone Wolf

 

40,000 English fans have descended upon the city of Perth, which has officially run out of hotel rooms. With all your traditional hotel booking websites saying "99 per cent of their properties had been sold out" even two weeks out from the first Test. It's the same with ticket sales at Perth Stadium, with no tickets available for the first three days of this game at a venue which has never quite filled up every seat for a Test match.
 

Tourism boon helps local economy,  same reason English team tours regularly to Carribbean Islands and even NZ outside of WTC.

 

Alien concept for BCCI and State administration.

 

Jaipur is such a popular bucket list destination for Gora tourists... Yet it is ignored and we see games at friggin Rajkot and Ranchi when Eng tours besides a customary Ahmedabad test lol

[goose]

Monty fires back at Smith !!!! 

 

My Mastermind performance was shocking, but at least I am not a cheat like Steve Smith.

Monty Panesar

 

I’ve started, so I’ll finish. Those were the words I heard at the end of my Mastermind shocker six years ago. But if I’m guilty of anything, it is having bad general knowledge. And that is better than being a cheat.

I am in Sydney for this winter’s Ashes series so thankfully I will be in the right time zone to watch Steve Smith bat. But I watched the Australia cricket captain launch his hilarious press conference performance from the comfort of my sofa. And what a performance it was.

I simply cannot believe that the Australian captain on the eve of the Ashes brought up my Celebrity Mastermind performance from 2019. Yes, I know I had an absolute shocker that day. I got six questions right on my specialist subject, Sikhism and its history, then got only one question correct in the general knowledge round. It was terrible, I know it was bad.

 

However, at least I can hold my hands up and admit that. It’s bad knowledge, but at least it isn’t ball-tampering. I would actually ask Steve whether he can look himself in the mirror yet and admit that he was part of “sandpapergate”, the worst example of Australian cheating in history.

To think that he wanted to talk about me before one of the biggest days of his career – when he will lead Australia out against England as he stands in for absent captain Pat Cummins – is flattering, and nothing short of hilarious.

I cannot believe he has dug out the old YouTube clip of my shocker and memorised it word by word. I must admit I am delighted to have got so far inside his head, but if I am able to achieve that, imagine how much damage Ben Stokes and his side are going to be able to do once play starts in Perth?

 

Steve has just displayed a massive weakness and mental vulnerability that, at this level of elite sport, you cannot afford to do. Look, we are all cricketers at the end of the day and I had some great days playing for my country, but I also had some shockers. He has had a lot of great days playing for his country but he has had one very big shocker: that day in South Africa in 2018.

 

We’ve both made mistakes, but at least mine was on a celebrity quiz show. His was on a cricket field, and we both have to live by them. It seems right now only one of us can.

If I was Steve, I would have just owned up as soon as the question was asked. “Yes, Monty is right, it’s something I will have to deal with and own for the rest of my life”, something like that. But bringing up my quiz show shocker instead just looks foolish. It’s like something you would see on The Traitors. Somebody has clocked that he is a traitor, so he’s tried to convince them by saying “Well, you know Monty is a traitor”.

There is another problem that Steve may not have considered: the Barmy Army. I have already seen England fans coming up with chants to be sung at him as he walks to the crease, and I cannot wait to hear some new ones. What about: “He’s in your head, in your head, Monty, Monty”?

Those chants are going to follow him every innings, at every Test, for the next six weeks. He has made himself a target for the Barmy Army and history shows they never fail to hit the target. That could really rattle him.

When you play in the Ashes, you have got to make the most of any advantage, no matter how little. I remember how Freddie Flintoff had Adam Gilchrist’s number because he would go around the wicket. Gilchrist couldn’t negate that angle and Freddie just kept getting him.

It is such an intensive series that you struggle to get to sleep at night, you sit up questioning yourself. And now Stokes and Brendon McCullum can start asking even more questions of Steve; how can we get into him about his integrity? How can we get into him about his technique? All these things, they could be just one per cent, but that is enough to be the difference between winning and losing in the Ashes.

 

I think England might give him grief now because of this, because it brings sandpapergate back to the boil. If I was Jofra Archer, I would be telling him “I’m swinging the ball even without sandpaper!”, or if I was Joe Root I’d be in his ear, “tell us how you do it mate, fine or coarse paper? Tell us the tricks of your trade”.

Suddenly, if he does not score any runs in Perth, that pressure will pile up and we could see weakness spread across a squad who may start to question their own captain.

I have never had any previous bad blood with Steve. I think he is a nice, friendly guy. But I have long thought he is not as good against spin as he is seam bowling. I remember when I got him out in Adelaide. Steve was a young lad coming into the team in 2013 and was earmarked as one for the future. He was always great at moving his feet and coming down the pitch. But Adelaide was a quick-turner and he just did not move his feet. There’s another weakness for Stokes to go after.

 

Some people have suggested what he did was bullying, but I don’t believe that. He’s tried to deflect the attention on to me and I get that.

But what I do question is whether he should be Australia captain given what he has done? That for me raises serious questions about Australia’s leadership and a lack of it across the squad. If it was an England player who had been found guilty of blatant ball-tampering like Smith’s team were, I don’t think they would be captaining this team going into this series. I think that would be very tricky given how 2018 played out.

Steve has made a massive blunder, and I cannot wait to watch now how it plays out. Will it disrupt Australia? I hope so, as it could be just the thing that sways the series in England’s favour.

 

 

 

 

A

[goose]

 

[Nikola]