Everything You Need to Know for The Ashes
Few sporting contests carry the history, drama, and intense aura of The Ashes. Born from a mock newspaper obituary in 1882 and symbolized by a tiny terracotta urn, the fierce rivalry between Australia and England has shaped more than a century of Test cricket.
Ahead of what promises to be one of the biggest contests on the cricket calendar—the five-match series in Australia—here is your essential guide to the history, classic moments, and key players ready to battle for the ultimate prize.
Born from a Funeral: The Origins of The Ashes
The Ashes is the oldest and most iconic rivalry in international sport, built upon Test cricket contests dating back to 1877. The name “Ashes,” however, wasn’t coined until a moment of national embarrassment for England.
- The Moment: In August 1882, the representative English team lost on home soil to Australia for the very first time at The Oval.
- The Satire: The defeat was so shocking that The Sporting Times published a satirical obituary for English cricket, mournfully declaring that the body would be cremated and “the Ashes taken to Australia.”
- The Promise: Determined English captain Ivo Bligh led a team to Australia later that year with a vow to reclaim “the ashes.” After an English victory, a fan presented Bligh with a small terracotta urn as a symbol of the successful quest.
That small, precious urn, now permanently housed at the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), is the physical embodiment of the rivalry. The series has since evolved into a regular event, held approximately every two years and alternating between the two nations.
Flashpoints: The Greatest Series Moments
The history of The Ashes is defined by moments of brilliance, controversy, and high drama.
- Bodyline (1932–33): One of the sport’s great flashpoints. England used hostile “fast leg theory” tactics—bowling fast and short directly at the batters—to intimidate the dominant Australian batsmen, particularly Don Bradman. While England reclaimed the urn, the tactics were deemed unsportsmanlike and the laws of the game were modified to prevent their recurrence.
- The Ball of the Century (1993): On his first Ashes delivery, Australia’s Shane Warne produced a leg-break that drifted, dipped, and spun almost incomprehensibly to bowl Mike Gatting. It was a career-defining moment that instantly cemented Warne as a generational star.
- Stokes’ Headingley Heroics (2019): Ben Stokes delivered one of the greatest Test innings ever. His unbeaten 135, a mix of supreme composure and fearless hitting, dragged England to an improbable one-wicket victory, etching a new legend into Ashes folklore.
- The Bairstow Storm (2023): The most recent high-voltage controversy occurred when England’s Jonny Bairstow was controversially stumped at Lord’s after wandering out of his crease, believing the ball was dead. The dismissal was entirely within the laws but ignited a furious, global debate about the “spirit of cricket,” cementing the incident as one of the most polarizing in the rivalry’s history.
Recent History and The Australian Fortress
Australia has been the dominant force in recent years, holding the Ashes since their victory in 2017.
- The Aussies have retained the urn through subsequent home series wins and drawn series in England, including the highly-charged 2-2 result in the 2023 series, an outcome that means Australia remains the current holder.
- A key challenge for England: they have not won an Ashes Test in Australia since 2011—which was also the last time they won a series Down Under. This span includes damaging losses like the 5-0 sweep in 2013-14 and the 4-0 defeats in 2017-18 and 2021-22.
- The 2010-11 series remains Australia’s only home Ashes series loss since they reclaimed the Urn in 1989.
Key Players to Watch in the Upcoming Series
England Players to Watch
- Joe Root: The prolific batter sits among Test cricket’s highest run-scorers. Crucially, Root has never scored an Ashes century in Australia, where his average (35.68) lags behind his career mark (51.29). A century this series would define his legacy.
- Ben Stokes: England’s talismanic captain and the driving force behind “Bazball.” Stokes is a single-handed match-winner, but he also needs to lift his average in Australia (28.61 with the bat, 41 with the ball) to lead from the front.
- Jofra Archer: Famous for his express pace and the hostile blows delivered to Australian batters in 2019. After career-stalling injuries, England will be desperate for their pace spearhead to be fit and firing in his first Ashes tour of Australia.
Australia Players to Watch
- Steven Smith: Australia’s premier batter for more than a decade and the anchor of their lineup. With an astounding average of 56.02 and 12 Ashes hundreds, Smith is one of the greatest Australian batters behind only Bradman. He is often the difference-maker.
- Mitchell Starc: The last fit member of Australia’s first-choice pace trio in this lineup (with Cummins and Hazlewood currently sidelined). Left-armer Starc is an excellent new-ball bowler, known for that infamous first-ball wicket of Rory Burns in the last home Ashes. His 402 wickets place him fourth on Australia’s all-time list.
- Scott Boland: A cult hero since his remarkable 6-7 on debut at the MCG in 2021. Boland’s 62 wickets at an incredible average of 16.53 in just 14 Tests make him one of the most efficient bowlers in the world, though the veteran often has to fight for his place against returning stars.
Squads of both teams:
England Squad for 1st Ashes Test: 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 for 1st Ashes Test: 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
Ashes Tests – Head-to-Head
- Total Matches: 361
- Australia Wins: 152
- England Wins: 112
- Draws: 97
The Schedule: Battle Lines are Drawn
| Date | Match | Venue | Teams | Local Time | GMT Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Nov 21, 2025 | 1st Test | Perth Stadium, Perth | Australia vs England | 10:20 AM (LOCAL) | 2:20 AM (GMT) |
| Thu, Dec 4, 2025 | 2nd Test | The Gabba, Brisbane | Australia vs England | 2:00 PM (LOCAL) | 4:00 AM (GMT) |
| Wed, Dec 17, 2025 | 3rd Test | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | Australia vs England | 10:30 AM (LOCAL) | 12:00 AM (GMT) |
| Fri, Dec 26, 2025 | 4th Test | Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) | Australia vs England | 11:00 AM (LOCAL) | 12:00 AM (GMT) |
| Sun, Jan 4, 2026 | 5th Test | Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) | Australia vs England | 11:00 AM (LOCAL) | 12:00 AM (GMT) |
