England face Australia in the first Ashes Test in Perth on Friday, with Ben Stokes’s side targeting a first away victory against the old enemy since the 2010–11 series.
Ahead of the latest edition in what is arguably cricket’s most famous rivalry, Australia have been hit by injuries in the build-up, with captain Pat Cummins and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood both ruled out.
After an injury scare, Mark Wood appears to have overcome a knock after bowling in the nets and looks set to bring express pace alongside Jofra Archer to an all-seam England attack, after being part of the 12-man squad named for the first Test on Wednesday morning. Spinner Shoaib Bashir appears destined to be 12th man, with another spin option, Will Jacks, not included in the matchday group.
Debate has swirled around whether Bazball can thrive Down Under, though a 2023 thriller, which ended in a 2-2 draw to ensure Australia retained the Ashes, brings hope of a fiercely contested and close five-match series.
Follow all the latest news from Down Under with the team news expected in the coming hours, plus our player-by-player guide and combined Ashes XI here:
Read More‘I’m praying for them’: Why England’s Ashes may hinge on Perth opener
Australia v England: Player-by-player guide to Ashes squads — and our combined XI
England take Mark Wood gamble in Ashes first Test squad
Ashes 2025/26: Australia v England
- Australia face England in first Test in Perth on Friday (02:30 GMT)
- Mark Wood named in 12-man England squad for first Test, setting up a five-man seam attack
- Ex-carpenter set for shock Australia debut after Cummins and Hazlewood ruled out
- Ashes player-by-player guide and combined XI
- Glenn McGrath axed from Ashes tv coverage
All to play for
13:07 , Mike JonesAustralia have retained or won the Ashes in each of the last four series with England last winning the urn in 2015.
In that time both series played in England have been drawn 2-2, including the last one in 2023, while the Aussies have blown England away in Australia.
The 2017/18 and 2021/22 series were both won 4-0 by the hosts. Will they repeat that feat this time around too?
Scott Boland names Australia’s most prized England scalp before Ashes
12:55 , Mike JonesAustralia’s Scott Boland admits Joe Root remains the most prized wicket in England’s Ashes line-up, regardless of his ongoing search for a first century Down Under.
Despite boasting more than 13,000 Test runs – more than any other active cricketer and second only to Sachin Tendulkar on the all-time list – Perth’s West Australian newspaper welcomed Root’s arrival in the country with a front page splash dubbing him “Average Joe”.
Scott Boland names Australia’s most prized England scalp before Ashes
If Stokes is fit England can win
12:41 , Mike JonesFormer England cricketer Mark Ramprakash says that England’s hopes of winning down under revolve around Ben stokes.
“He knows how difficult it is to be an international cricketer,” Ramprakash said of the England captain.
“He gives them his full backing and has great empathy to understand the ups and downs.
“If he is not in the middle to make those decisions, to know when to back his bowlers, when to attack, that is a massive vacuum.
“If Ben Stokes plays these five Tests then I think England win and win quite comfortably.”
Opportunity for England
12:29 , Mike JonesMichael Vaughan says that the first test match in Perth is an opportunity for England to start the series well.
“There is no captain Pat Cummins, who doesn’t know how to lose. He has that incredible mentality. When they have needed a wicket it is generally him who gets the wicket,” Vaughan told BBC 5 Live.
“Josh Hazelwood in white-ball cricket has been Australia’s stand-out bowler. It is a big opportunity for England.
“Scott Boland has a record here - up there with the greats. Mitchell Starc is one of these modern greats. Brendan Doggett is at the start in domestic cricket.
“Australia have enough to cause a bit of damage but England have a great chance. They have got to play great disciplined cricket and win the moments.”
Playing test cricket is 'just a bonus'
12:17 , Mike Jones"I don't know how ready you can be for test cricket," Brendan Doggett told reporters in Perth on Monday.
"But the last 18 months to two years has easily been the most successful... in terms of numbers (of wickets), but also just confidence in my body, confidence in my game.
"I was playing country cricket and working as a carpenter, and that was the dream for me. I (would) go back to Toowoomba... put the nail bag on and keep building houses. I loved that life.
"This is all just a bonus."
Ex-carpenter set for shock Australia debut against England in first Ashes Test
12:07 , Mike JonesAfter spending years carving out a name for himself in Australian domestic cricket, qualified carpenter Brendan Doggett is now eyeing a second life as a test bowler and a dream debut in the Ashes.
Doggett chipped away on building sites and on the fringes of the test squad in relative obscurity but injuries have opened the door for the 31-year-old paceman to make a name for himself in the series-opener against England in Perth on Friday.
He is expected to join Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland in an Australia pace attack that no-one saw coming, not least the South Australia quick.
Ex-carpenter set for shock Australia debut against England in first Ashes Test
It's not just the cricket but the country's against you
11:56 , Mike JonesSteven Finn says that playing an Ashes series in Australia isn’t just about the cricket but overcoming the ‘vast majority’ of the country as well.
Finn revealed: “From the moment you step off the plane, you realise it is not just you versus the Australia cricket team, but you against a vast majority of the country.
“Customs officials don't smile and insist on seeing your cricket spikes to make sure you are not bringing in any unwanted soil. You have to unpack your cricket bag on your hands and knees in the arrivals hall, digging around for your comfy bowling spikes you used in the English summer. If there's any dirt on them at all, you have to clean them.
“Welcome to Australia.”
England ready for Perth
11:45 , Mike JonesEngland have been preparing for the opening test match at the Optus Stadium.
How will the first test go?
Ashes 2025/26 schedule
11:35 , Mike JonesFirst Test, Optus Stadium in Perth: 21-25 November (UK start time: 2.30am GMT)
Second Test, Gabba in Brisbane: 4-8 December (4.30am)
Third Test, Adelaide Oval in Adelaide: 17-21 December (12am)
Fourth Test, MCG in Melbourne: 26-30 December (11.30pm, 25 December)
Fifth Test, SCG in Sydney: 4-8 January (11.30pm, 3 January)
Alarm bells ringing for Australia
11:25 , Mike JonesFormer Australian quick bowler, Mitchell Johnson says there are some alarm bells ringing for the hosts due to the injuires to Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.
"When your leaders are all in their mid-to-late 30s and have heavy workloads banked, the odds eventually turn on you," Johnson wrote in the West Australian newspaper.
"While losing Pat Cummins to injury was already a blow, one injury to a frontline quick is manageable. Losing two out of the big three starts to rewrite the whole script for the Ashes.
"It narrows Australia's margin for error and it forces selectors into decisions they'd hoped they wouldn't have to make this early. It's the sort of scenario that exposes the age profile of the squad.
"The alarm bells are now ringing loud and clear regarding the future. That attack of Lyon, Boland, Starc and Hazlewood are all older than I was when I retired from international cricket."
Australia legend axed from Ashes tv coverage
11:22 , Mike JonesAustralian cricket legend Glenn McGrath has been dropped from his role as a television commentator with broadcaster ABC just two days before the start of the 2025/26 Ashes series.
The test match series sees the rivalry between England and Australia renewed when the two sides meet for the first test match on Friday 21 November but McGrath will not be part of the commentary team reporting from the ground.
Australia legend axed from Ashes tv coverage
England take Mark Wood gamble in Ashes first Test squad
11:15 , Luke BakerMark Wood looks set to start the opening Ashes Test for England against Australia as part of a five-man pace attack after being named in the 12-man squad.
X-factor bowler Wood has faced a race against time to prove his fitness after undergoing surgery earlier this year. He recovered enough to travel Down Under but only completed eight overs of the warm-up match against England Lions at Lilac Hill before tweaking his hamstring.
However, a scan on the issue came back all clear earlier this week and that has set him up to be part of an all-seam attack, providing he can properly prove his fitness in the nets over the next 48 hours.
England take Mark Wood gamble in Ashes first Test squad
How to watch the Ashes on tv and online
11:04 , Mike JonesThe games will not be easy to follow for English fans at home, with much of the action taking place overnight. The second Test in Brisbane will be the easiest to watch from afar, as the day-night game will start at 4.30am GMT each morning.
All the action will be shown live in the UK on TNT Sports. The broadcaster drew some criticism for its plans for the series, which will be helmed by cycling and rugby commentators from a studio in the UK, working alongside a team of on-pitch analysts in Australia, who include Ashes winners Sir Alastair Cook and Graeme Swann.
Ben Stokes is pivotal for England
10:53 , Mike Jones2005 Ashes winner Matthew Hoggard says England’s chances of winning the Urn down under hang on Ben Stokes.
“I think we have that chance. Ben Stokes, when he is fit and firing, is a massive player for us,” Hoggard said.
“Not only is he three players in one with his batting, bowling and fielding but his captaincy and positivity. He gets the best out of all his players with his leadership.
“It’s pivotal for England for Ben Stokes to stay fit for five games.”
England look focused says Vaughan
10:42 , Mike JonesFormer England captain Michael Vaughan says that England look focused ahead of the first test but that they must win in Perth.
“I have watched them train over the past couple of days and they look a focused team. They look fit. Jofra Archer was just doing lengths running across the ground. You can see a focus from both teams,” Vaughan told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“How both teams start is going to be very important, particularly England. Australia went 1-0 down to India here last year and came back.
“England have to win in Perth. You look at 86-87 when they won here, they got off to a good start. 2010-11 they got off to a decent start in Brisbane.
“I think it will be very difficult to come back from going 1-0 down here.”
England squad for Perth test
10:31 , Mike JonesBen Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Mark Wood.
Australia squad
10:21 , Mike JonesPat Cummins, Steve Smith (vc), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.
England warned about 'brutal' Aussie crowds during Ashes
10:05 , Jack RathbornI used to hide away at slip, or at least be inside the circle so I didn't get the worst of it, It's brutal!” Mark Butcher tells Boyle Sports on the impact of the crowds in an away Ashes series.
“You’ve got two contrasting sets of supporters - the Barmy Army will be out there and they will drink, sing songs and have a great time, whether they win or lose. That’s the ironic thing, back in the day when we couldn't win a Test, let alone win a series down there.
“It’s based around humour and having the best time no matter what happens on the field and getting behind the England team. Where the Australian crowds are not - it’s just personal abuse and swearing! The amount of humour involved is very, very much limited and it's basically calling everybody a c***, every day until the whole thing's over.
“It’s part of what makes it great - that’s what makes being involved in these series just unlike anything else, it’s a battle from start to finish. But it’s also the best fun you’ll have as a cricketer and I’m sure the Australian players feel the same when they come over here.”
The Ashes opener
10:00 , Mike JonesThe 2025/26 Ashes series begins in Perth on 21 November, as England aim to regain the urn from Australian hands.
England have not won an Ashes series for a decade and they have not win a single Test match in Australia since 2010/11. But there is optimism that this time might be different, as Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum take their exciting brand of ‘Bazball’ into contest.
The series will begin Perth rather than Brisbane, where The Gabba has hosted every opening Ashes Test for more than 40 years, and England may be relieved – their record at The Gabba is poor, without a win there since 1986.
Instead the Ashes will start in a new venue as Perth’s 60,000-seater Optus Stadium takes over from the much smaller, older Waca ground that has traditionally played host.
Pope confirmed at No.3
09:48 , Mike JonesAlong with the fitness of Mark Wood one of the questions over England’s team selection was who would bat at three?
The two choices where Ollie Pope or Jacob Bethell with the former vice-captain getting the nod.
Pope scored 100 and 90 in England’s only warm-up match heading into the series and was selected in the squad while Bethell misses out in Perth.
Pope averages 35.36 in Test cricket with nine centuries but needs more consistency. A recent trend has seen him score big at the start of series before falling away as the series goes on.
His average rises to a 41.60 batting at three, where he has registered eight of those nine tons so there is potential there and it is easy to see why England have kept faith with him.
England to rotate Archer and Wood?
09:37 , Mike JonesJimmy Anderson believes that the first test match in Perth may be the only game in which Jofra Archer and Mark Wood play together with England resting and rotating the pair throughout the series.
He explained: “I think if you're going to play them together, potentially the first Test at Perth, where it's fast and bouncy, you want to get off to a good start in the series so hit them straight away with proper pace.
“After that I imagine they'll try and play one of them, and rest and recover the other.”
Anderson added that Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse will need to bowl consistently throughout the series if England stand a chance of winning.
“That leaves space for Brydon Carse or Gus Atkinson. They're still quick enough, but they've got skill as well, and probably a bit more control than the others,” Anderson continued.
“They're going to have a big part. If England are going to win this series, or have a chance, then the bowling attack has got to be relentlessly good.”
England need 'accuracy as well as pace'
09:30 , Mike JonesEngland electing to go with an all seam attack is all well and good but there pace will be ineffective if they do not also have the accuracy to exploit it.
England’s all-time leading wicket-taker, James Anderson, played in six tours of Australia and knows a thing or two about taking wickets there.
“The pitches will have a little bit of movement in them, they have done in the last two tours we've been there. So you do need accuracy, as well as pace,” Anderson told the Tailenders Podcast ahead of the series.
“I think one of the question marks for England will potentially be Ben Stokes - out of that group of bowlers, he is the one bowler that could churn out those spells of accuracy and skill.
“But he's also got that injury record hanging over him, so that could be a big part of the series as well.”
Will England select five seamers?
09:22 , Mike JonesPerth is known for its pace and bounce and for being a friendly pitch for seam bowlers.
England’s squad features five seamers including captain Ben Stokes with Shoaib Bashir as the spin option.
Will Stokes and Brendan McCullum punt for an all seam attack in the first test?
"[The possibility is] very exciting,” explained Gus Atkinson.
“We hear about these pitches in Australia with pace and bounce, so to come out here is really nice knowing as a fast bowler you can make major contributions.
"We’re all very excited. There is a lot a of pace in our attack. I’m probably a bit slower than a few of the others.
"It’s to hold that control, look to take wickets and keep the batters under pressure."
Playing in the Ashes is 'exciting' says Atkinson
09:13 , Mike JonesEngland pace bowler Gus Atkinson is set to get his first experience of an Ashes series when the action gets going later this week.
The 27-year-old has made a fine start to his test career before injury kept him off the pitch.
He’s fully fit and firing ahead of the series though and is looking forward to what should be an ‘exciting’ affair.
"It means a lot,” Atkinson told BBC Sport when asked how it felt ot play in the Ashes.
“Growing up the 2005 Ashes was the main thing for me. Ever since it’s been a dream to play in an Ashes series.
“To get the opportunity is very exciting."
Mitchell Starc confident Australia can overcome injuries
09:04 , Luke BakerAll the noise coming out of the Australian camp surrounds injured duo Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, severely depleting the home bowling stocks.
Scott Boland and uncapped Brendan Doggett are expected to replace the injured duo who boast 604 Test wickets between them.
And Mitchell Starc is confident the team can cope without their talismen.
“Sadly, injuries and fast bowling happen,” the 35-year-old Starc said of Cummins and Hazlewood.
“But (it’s) good to see the depth in the squad. We know what Scottie Boland can do. Doggie’s (Doggett) coming off a hot streak at the moment as well.”
Gus Atkinson happy to fly under the radar
08:45 , Luke BakerThe prospect of Mark Wood and Jofra Archer teaming up for just the second time in Test cricket has everyone excited but Gus Atkinson will also be a crucial part of the seam attack.
And Atkinson, who has taken 63 wickets at 22.07 in 13 appearances – including a hat-trick against New Zealand last winter and eight in his most recent outing against India – is content to stay out of the firing line.
“I’m not sure it's a mistake...it's been like that a bit so far in my career, in the background and I don't mind that at all,” he said.
“Jofra and Woody are amazing bowlers and they'll be huge for us this series.
“You hear about it (Tests in Australia) in the past and it’s all ‘pace, pace, pace; but we're hearing lately a bit more seam movement. For me personally, it’s nice to hear that. That’s something I'm looking forward to.”
Ashes 2025/26 schedule
08:30 , Luke BakerThe first Test gets underway this Friday and here’s how the schedule for the whole series looks this year
Ashes 2025-26 schedule:
First Test, Optus Stadium in Perth: 21-25 November (UK start time: 2.20am GMT)
Second Test, Gabba in Brisbane: 4-8 December (4.30am)
Third Test, Adelaide Oval in Adelaide: 17-21 December (12am)
Fourth Test, MCG in Melbourne: 26-30 December (11.30pm, 25 December)
Fifth Test, SCG in Sydney: 4-8 January (11.30pm, 3 January)
England take Mark Wood gamble in Ashes first Test squad
08:16 , Luke BakerMark Wood looks set to start the opening Ashes Test for England against Australia as part of a five-man pace attack after being named in the 12-man squad.
X-factor bowler Wood has faced a race against time to prove his fitness after undergoing surgery earlier this year. He recovered enough to travel Down Under but only completed eight overs of the warm-up match against England Lions at Lilac Hill before tweaking his hamstring.
However, a scan on the issue came back all clear earlier this week and that has set him up to be part of an all-seam attack, providing he can properly prove his fitness in the nets over the next 48 hours.
The seam-friendly nature of the pitch at Optus Stadium in Perth has made this a viable strategy and Wood is set to start as part of a bowling unit alongside fellow pacemen Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson and Ben Stokes. It would be the fastest bowling attack England have put out in recent memory, with the absolute fastest of those – Wood and Archer –having only ever played one Test together before.
England take Mark Wood gamble in Ashes first Test squad
Mark Wood in England squad for first Ashes Test
08:00 , Luke BakerOk, the 12-man England squad for the first Ashes Test, starting on Friday, has been released and the big news is that MARK WOOD IS IN!
Providing he proves his fitness over the next 48 hours, that means he will likely start as part of a five-man pace attack alongside Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson and Ben Stokes.
Shoaib Bashir is also in the squad but surely slated for 12th man duties, given the seam-friendly nature of the Perth pitch and his struggles in recent times.
That means there’s no place for Will Jacks, so the mooted idea of him being selected to extend the batting line-up, and provide a part-time spin option, hasn’t come to fruition.
As expected, Ollie Pope has seen off Jacob Bethell, so will take the No 3 spot in the line-up.
England’s 12-player squad:
Ben Stokes (c)
Jofra Archer
Gus Atkinson
Shoaib Bashir
Harry Brook
Brydon Carse
Zak Crawley
Ben Duckett
Ollie Pope
Joe Root
Jamie Smith (wk)
Mark Wood
Australia’s ‘old blokes’ rally together for the Ashes chasing one last demolition of England
07:55 , Jack RathbornThere was a simplicity to the statement. Australian cricket has a capacity for straight talking and Dan Christian, the all-rounder who came out of retirement last winter to figure in the Big Bash in his forties, tended to justify the presence of veterans in four words: “Old blokes win stuff”. It was his philosophy in Twenty20 tournaments and he won them in four different countries, often in his late thirties.
Since then, it is an attitude that seems to have spread across Australian cricket. Young blokes are conspicuous by their absence. When Australia last played a Test at home, it was without anyone in their twenties: the teenager Sam Konstas was accompanied by 10 thirtysomethings. When they named their squad for the first Ashes Test in Perth, Konstas was dropped, the 31-year-old Jake Weatherald selected and the 26-year-old Cameron Green was the only man below 30, joined by 14 of his elders. The Cameron Green generation consists of only Cameron Green.
Australia’s ‘old blokes’ rally for the Ashes chasing one last demolition of England
Ex-England star offers advice to Ben Stokes and Joe Root on handling Ashes hostility
07:40 , Jack RathbornPhil Tufnell, the former England slow left-armer, has offered a unique perspective on the notorious hostility of Australian crowds during the Ashes, urging the current England squad to embrace the unforgiving environment.
His advice comes as anticipation for the series, which begins this Friday with the first Test at Perth’s Optus Stadium, reaches fever pitch, with figures like Ben Stokes and Joe Root already facing media baiting.
His message to the current England team is clear: "Embrace it, love it. All the hard work comes down to this, so don’t let a bit of chat put you off your stroke, embrace it and let it bring the best out of you."
James Anderson drops Ashes verdict as he pinpoints Australia ‘cracks’ for England to ‘expose’
07:30 , Jack Rathborn"Australia have been so strong and so consistent in their team selection over the last 10 years, that this probably is their weakest team (in the last 15 years)," Anderson told TNT Sports.
"There are doubts around who’s going to bat in the top three, Pat Cummins missing is huge. There are question marks there, definitely, and there are cracks that England could potentially expose. There’s a great chance for England to get on top early.
"I don’t think England are quite favourites, I’d say Australia are still favourites, in Australia. There’s still a lot of quality in their batting line-up, there’s still a lot of quality with their bowlers as well, even if Cummins is missing."
"So I think they probably just edge out England in terms of being favourites, but I don’t think there’s much in it. It’s a tough one to call, so I’d say Australia, just."
TMS stats man says which Ashes team of the past England should look to for hope
07:20 , Jack RathbornAn Ashes series full of unpredictability, exciting cricket and “cataclysmic collapses” awaits, according to BBC statistician Andy Zaltzman.
England go in search of their first win Down Under since the 2010-11 series, having drawn the last two home series.
Test Match Special contributor Zaltzman told the PA news agency: “It’s quite hard to predict. I veer between quite confident optimism and the innate pessimism of someone who grew up watching English cricket.
“What no one in this squad has ever done is win a Test in Australia. Between them they’ve had zero wins and 28 match losses – and that sounds ominous!
TMS stats man says which Ashes team of the past England should look to for hope
Scott Boland names Australia’s most prized England scalp before Ashes
07:10 , Jack Rathborn“I think you always want to try and take down the best players,” said the veteran seamer, who is set to stand in for injured captain Pat Cummins on Friday.
“In the past when Joe Root was captain you always wanted to try and take (him) down…make sure they have as little impact as you can.
“Obviously England have quite a few good batters but hopefully we can keep Joe Root and the guys in the middle order quiet.”
‘I’m praying for them’: Why England’s Ashes may hinge on Perth opener
06:55 , Jack RathbornChris Tremlett has experienced both sides of the Ashes.
There was unbridled joy in 2010/11, when Andrew Strauss’s England cricket side became the first English team to win a series down under in 24 years.
And then unrivalled misery four years later when Mitchell Johnson subjected England to an examination they had no answer to.
‘I’m praying for them’: Why England’s Ashes may hinge on Perth opener
Ex-carpenter set for shock Australia debut
Tuesday 18 November 2025 15:59 , Jack RathbornAfter spending years carving out a name for himself in Australian domestic cricket, qualified carpenter Brendan Doggett is now eyeing a second life as a test bowler and a dream debut in the Ashes.
Doggett chipped away on building sites and on the fringes of the test squad in relative obscurity but injuries have opened the door for the 31-year-old paceman to make a name for himself in the series-opener against England in Perth on Friday.
He is expected to join Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland in an Australia pace attack that no-one saw coming, not least the South Australia quick.
Ex-carpenter set for shock Australia debut against England in first Ashes Test
‘Absolutely rapid’ Mark Wood hands England boost before Ashes opener
Tuesday 18 November 2025 15:58 , Jack RathbornMark Wood's chances of lining up in Friday's first Ashes Test are on the rise after he roared through an "absolutely rapid" spell in the nets in Perth.
Wood has not played competitively since undergoing knee surgery in March and saw his hopes of playing in the series opener thrown into doubt after playing a reduced role in last week's tour game against England Lions.
But scans on a stiff left hamstring showed no cause for concern and there is renewed optimism in the camp that the quickest bowler in the country could be ready for what is expected to be a fast and furious surface.
Wood was wearing heavy strapping but bowled for around 40 minutes as England trained for the first time at the 60,000-capacity Perth Stadium, increasing his run-up incrementally and working towards full speed.
‘Absolutely rapid’ Mark Wood hands England boost before Ashes opener
Australia v England: Player-by-player guide to Ashes squads — and our combined XI
Tuesday 18 November 2025 15:56 , Jack RathbornAn eagerly-anticipated Ashes series is almost upon us as England cricket attempt to win back the urn from Australia cricket.
It is 15 years since England last triumphed Down Under, with the tourists failing to win a single Tests on three trips back to Australia since that 3-1 series success.
The tourists’ improved fortunes under the leadership of captain Ben Stokes has swelled hope, though, of a more competitive series after a thrilling 2023 affair on English soil.
Australia secured a 2-2 draw to retain the Ashes then and will give no ground to their fierce rivals – even if they are without captain Pat Cummins for the first Test at least due to a back injury.
Who are the players set to do battle across five Tests and five cities over the next couple of months? Here’s The Independent’s guide to the two squads – and our combined XI:
Australia v England: Player-by-player guide to Ashes squads — and our combined XI