Watch: Mitchell Starc picks fifer with Gus Atkinson's wicket during 1st Ashes 2025/26 Test in Perth

Australia went into the opening Test of the Ashes 2025/26 against England at the Optus Stadium in Perth without their two premier pacers- captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. In these circumstances, the pressure and the responsibility were on the shoulders of veteran Mitchell Starc, who breathed fire on the opening day of the series. 

Mitchell Starc was excellent from picking the first wicket in the very first over of the game when Zak Crawley went for a booming drive on the sixth delivery. The right-handed batter negotiated the first five deliveries in the channel of uncertainty from the left-arm pacer, but couldn’t restrain from going for the big shot.

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Starc celebrated his five-wicket haul during the first inning. It was a length delivery outside the off stump which angled away from Gus Atkinson as the batter hanged the bat out and the thick outside edge went low to the second slip where the fielder grabbed a fine catch to send the batter back into the hut.

Watch: Mitchell Starc celebrates fifer during opening Ashes 2025/26 Test in Perth

When Joe Root came into the middle, there was a massive burden on the right-handed batter to notch up a big score. But he couldn’t open his account in the first six balls as the Yorkshire batter went for a huge drive and got an outside edge behind the stumps. Starc ended up bagging wickets at an aggressive pace and accuracy.

Starc has now completed his 100 Test wickets in the Ashes history. He has also become the first left-arm fast bowler to get to the milestone in Ashes history, with Mitchell Johnson being the second leading wicket-taker (52) in the list. The New South Wales pacer ended with figures of 7/58 in the innings, which is his best bowling spell in the longest format.

Harry Brook celebrated a fine half-century with the bat as he notched up 52 runs in 61 balls at a strike rate of 85, while Ollie Pope clubbed 46 runs in 58 balls as England were bundled out for 172 runs in the first innings.