With the Ashes urn in Australia’s keeping after successfully retaining Test cricket’s most prestigious trophy in England, the 74th men’s Ashes series begins in Perth on 21 November.
A brief history of the Ashes
The Ashes rivalry dates to 1882, when The Sporting Times published a satirical obituary declaring the “death” of English cricket after Australia’s first Test victory at The Oval. An England tour to Australia later that year was framed as a mission to “regain the ashes of English cricket”, and a small terracotta urn, presented to Ivo Bligh on that tour, became the lasting symbol of the series.
Australia lead the historical tally with 34 series wins to England’s 32, with six drawn series. They also lead in individual Test victories, 152 to England’s 111, with 98 draws.
The last Ashes: 2023 in England
The 2023 Ashes ended 2-2, allowing Australia to retain the urn. Australia took early control with wins at Edgbaston and Lord’s, before England responded at Headingley. Old Trafford was washed out and England levelled the series at The Oval, but Australia left as holders.
The drawn series contributed to Australia’s run to the 2025 World Test Championship final, while England’s over-rate penalties affected their WTC standings across the cycle.
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The last Ashes in Australia: 2021–22
The previous Ashes on Australian soil ended 4–0 to the hosts. Pat Cummins’ side dominated at Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Hobart, with only the rain-hit Sydney Test preventing a second consecutive home whitewash.
That heavy defeat prompted structural changes in England’s red-ball set-up, eventually leading to the pairing of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum and the shift towards a more aggressive, results-driven Test strategy, also known as ‘Bazball’.
England’s form heading into 2025–26
England enter the series with mixed results in 2025. They comfortably beat Zimbabwe in a one-off Test at Trent Bridge, winning by an innings and 45 runs after posting 565/6 declared.
More telling was the five-Test series against India for the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy, which ended 2–2. England produced a record chase at Headingley and a narrow victory at Lord’s, but India hit back at Edgbaston and The Oval.
In the current WTC cycle, England sit mid-table with two wins, two losses and one draw from five Tests. The squad’s optimism has centred on their pace resources, with Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue all capable of bowling above 140kph, an approach deliberately designed for Australian surfaces.
Australia’s form heading into 2025–26
Australia’s 2025 Test calendar has been demanding. They reached the World Test Championship final but lost to South Africa, who chased 282 to claim the title.
They responded with a 3–0 sweep in the West Indies, highlighted by Mitchell Starc’s 6–9 burst in Kingston as West Indies were bowled out for 27 in the fourth innings. That series lifted Australia to the top of the early WTC standings with a perfect points percentage.
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The main concern is the collective workload of the senior attack, Starc, Cummins and Nathan Lyon, who carry significant overs across multiple cycles. With senior bowler Josh Hazlewood, who has taken 295 Test wickets, ruled out for the first Test, Australia may need to rotate heavily across the five Tests series.
Head-to-head picture
Australia remain holders of the urn and lead the overall rivalry:
Ashes series: Australia 34, England 32, drawn 6
Ashes Tests: Australia 152 wins, England 111 wins, 98 draws
Star players to watch
England
Joe Root – England’s most reliable run-maker, with more than 500 runs in the recent India series.
Harry Brook – A central part of England’s middle order, contributing heavily during the 2025 WTC cycle.
Ben Stokes – Captain and tactical anchor whose aggressive approach has reshaped England’s Test cricket.
Mark Wood & Jofra Archer – England’s main weapons on hard Australian pitches, both capable of sustained high pace.
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Australia
Steve Smith – The technical benchmark of Australia’s batting group, particularly strong in home Ashes series.
Travis Head – Australia’s middle-order accelerator, top-scorer in the recent West Indies series.
Mitchell Starc – Fresh from surpassing 400 Test wickets and entering the Ashes on strong recent form.
Pat Cummins & Nathan Lyon – Captain and senior spinner who form the backbone of Australia’s long-standing attack.
The series in focus
Australia start as favourites at home, with a settled batting core and proven bowlers despite injury adjustments. England arrive with momentum from parts of the India series and a pace unit built specifically for Australian conditions.
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