England captain Ben Stokes has urged his side to “show a bit of dog” as they prepare for a must-win third Ashes Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval, with the five-match series hanging delicately in the balance. Trailing 0-2 after heavy defeats in Perth and Brisbane, England face a familiar yet daunting challenge, one that Stokes believes his team is mentally equipped to handle.

Drawing parallels with the 2023 Ashes in England, where his side bounced back from a similar deficit, Stokes insisted that the clarity of the task remains unchanged. “We’ve been in this position before,” he said on the eve of the Test. “Everyone knows what needs to happen. If anything, it makes things simpler and clearer.”

Rather than viewing the situation as pressure-filled, Stokes believes the deficit has sharpened England’s focus. He dismissed any suggestion that the players now owe him or the management a response for their backing, stressing trust over obligation. “These are the moments where the players you back are trusted to deliver,” he said. “I would never say you owe me. Go out, back yourself, and do what needs to be done.”

Watch the video:

If any team can do it, this team can.

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 16, 2025

Backing you to have a BIG week, JT! 👊🔥

Hear from Ben Stokes on our preparation, fight, belief, the Oval pitch and much more ahead of the 3rd Test 👇

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 16, 2025

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Show a bit of dog Stokes challenges England ahead of Adelaide Test

Stokes pointed to England’s Lord’s Test win against India earlier this year as an example of how intensity and confrontation can spark a response. “That’s fight to me,” he explained. “Looking your opposition in the eye and showing a bit of dog gives you the best chance.”

England have made just one change for Adelaide, recalling Josh Tongue in place of Gus Atkinson, while sticking with Will Jacks as the spinning all-round option ahead of Shoaib Bashir. Despite questions around selection, Stokes made it clear that mindset matters more than personnel. 

“We’ve had proper, meaningful conversations,” he said. “All the talking is done now. What matters is what gets shown on the field.” With England winless in Australia for 15 years and the series on the line, Stokes’ message is clear: resilience, fight, and belief must now translate into performance.

The ongoing Ashes series took on a sombre tone after a tragic terror attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, prompting heartfelt messages from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Cricket Australia (CA) and leading figures from both teams. The incident, which Australian authorities described as a targeted terrorist attack, has cast a shadow over preparations for the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.

At least 15 people lost their lives and dozens were injured after two gunmen opened fire on a crowd gathered to mark the first night of Hanukkah. Police confirmed the situation was later neutralised, with one of the attackers among the dead. The tragedy has deeply affected the cricketing community, with players, officials and broadcasters expressing shock and grief.

Ahead of the make-or-break third Test, England’s tour was already under scrutiny following on-field struggles and heightened media attention. Tensions spilled over on Saturday when England’s security personnel were involved in an altercation with local media in Brisbane and Adelaide. Channel 7 released footage showing a security guard pushing a camera operator during routine filming in a public space, despite media adhering to Cricket Australia’s travel protocols. The broadcaster said it was taking the matter seriously, stressing staff safety.

We stand together. pic.twitter.com/Tp1EziHNlW

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 14, 2025

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CA and ECB lead tributes after Bondi Beach tragedy

As the focus shifted from cricket to compassion, CA and ECB issued a joint statement condemning the Bondi Beach attack. “Everybody at Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board is horrified by the tragic events,” the statement read, extending condolences to the victims, their families and the Jewish community.

Australian spinner Nathan Lyon, speaking ahead of the Adelaide Test, echoed those sentiments, saying the team’s “thoughts and prayers” were with everyone affected. Former England captain Michael Vaughan, who was in Bondi during the incident, also paid tribute to emergency services and civilians who showed bravery.

With Australia leading the Ashes 2-0, the third Test will begin under a cloud of grief, with tributes expected in Adelaide as cricket pauses to reflect on a tragedy that extends far beyond the boundary.

Australia have received a timely boost ahead of the second Ashes Test at the Gabba, with both Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood returning to the nets in Sydney. The fast-bowling duo, who missed the opening Test in Perth due to injury, trained at Cricket Central while New South Wales were in Sheffield Shield action.

Cummins, recovering from a back issue, was seen bowling with the pink ball,an encouraging sign with the Brisbane Test set to be a day-night fixture. According to head coach Andrew McDonald, the Australian captain is nearing the end of his rehabilitation. He noted that Cummins’ intensity and pace in the nets suggested real progress, though the final hurdle remains proving he can withstand the significant workload required in Test cricket.

The two-day finish in Perth has given Australia an extended break before the second Test, which has strengthened Cummins’ chances of returning. With the schedule tightening after Brisbane, his availability would be a major lift for the hosts as they aim to build on their early advantage.

Hazlewood Eyes Adelaide as Australia’s Pace Bench Shows Impressive Depth

Hazlewood, meanwhile, bowled with the red ball as he works his way back from a hamstring strain. Although he is not expected to feature in Brisbane, his presence at training has provided optimism that he will be ready for the third Test in Adelaide. McDonald indicated that the team expects Hazlewood to play a part later in the series once his early rehab phase is complete.

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Australia’s depth has also been highlighted by impressive domestic performances. Xavier Bartlett’s standout display for Queensland,taking 4 for 35 and scoring a career-best 72,has placed him firmly on the selectors’ radar, though Australia may not need reinforcements if their frontline quicks return as planned. Michael Neser, the spare pacer in Perth, remains another strong option, especially at his home ground in Brisbane.

Jhye Richardson is also edging closer to full fitness after shoulder surgery. He bowled 20 overs for the Cricket Australia XI against England Lions and is expected to feature for Australia A next week. With Cummins likely for the Gabba and Hazlewood targeting Adelaide, Australia’s pace stocks appear to be strengthening at the perfect time.

Travis Head has a reputation for changing the tempo of a match within a handful of overs. But on a fiery Perth surface in the opening Test of the 2025-26 Ashes series, he unleashed arguably the most destructive knock of his career. Facing a tricky target of 205 after Australia were rattled by Ben Stokes’ spell earlier in the match, Head walked out to open and simply tore England apart.

The left-hander smashed 123 runs from just 83 balls, peppering the boundaries with 16 fours and four sixes, and turned what could have been a tense chase into a statement victory. Australia romped home by eight wickets inside two days, a rare instance of Ashes carnage finishing before the weekend truly began.

Along the way, Head not only thrilled the Perth crowd but also rewrote several chapters of cricket’s record books. Here are the five milestone achievements from his unforgettable century.

1 Second-fastest century in Ashes history

Head needed only 69 balls to reach his hundred, placing him among the absolute best in 147 years of Ashes rivalry. The only name ahead of him? The legendary Adam Gilchrist, who smashed a 57-ball hundred at the very same venue back in 2006.

Gilchrist ended unbeaten on 102 from 59 deliveries that day, a knock that still lives in Ashes folklore. Head’s innings now joins that elite stratosphere, highlighting the modern Australian approach of fearless, counterattacking cricket when the pressure is on.

2 Fastest fourth-innings hundred in Test cricket

Chasing in Test matches is a mental test, the scoreboard pressure, fielders around the bat, every mistake magnified. But Head made the fourth innings look like a Saturday afternoon net session.

He broke a 122-year-old record, surpassing Gilbert Jessop, whose 76-ball hundred at The Oval in 1902 had stood untouched for generations. Head’s strike-first intent turned a competitive chase into a sprint and left England with no time to react or reset their plans.

3 Joint-fastest Test hundred by an opening batter

Head’s attacking instincts have transformed him into a dynamic Test opener. With his 69-ball ton, he now shares the fastest century by a Test opener with another Australian power-hitter: David Warner - 69 balls vs India, Perth, 2012

Warner went big in that innings with 180. Head matched the speed and nearly matched the punch, proof that Perth continues to be a playground for Aussie stroke makers.

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4 Highest strike rate ever in a successful Test run chase

Head played like he was chasing a T20 total, not one set by arch-rivals England in the Ashes. His 123 off 83 balls came at a staggering 148.19 strike rate, now the all-time highest while successfully chasing in Tests.

He overtook England’s Jonny Bairstow, who set the previous record with a 147.82 strike rate while hunting down 299 against New Zealand in 2022. This was pure domination, England bowled short, full, wide, straight… but nothing slowed him down.

5 Joint third-fastest century by an Australian in Test cricket

Australia has produced some of the most aggressive batters in Test history - Gilchrist, Warner, Hayden… and now Head comfortably sits among those giants.

Fastest hundreds by Australians in Tests:

1. Adam Gilchrist - 57 balls (2006 vs England)
2. JM Gregory - 67 balls (1921 vs South Africa)
3. Travis Head - 69 balls (2025 vs England)
   David Warner - 69 balls (2012 vs India)

For Head to be tied on that list shows just how much of a game-breaker he has become.

A knock that defines a modern Ashes era

This innings wasn’t just about records, it was a statement:

• England had sniffed a famous win after Stokes’ fiery spell
• The pitch was lively and the match finely poised
• Head turned pressure into fireworks

In less than 29 overs, Australia sealed an eight-wicket win in a Test that lasted barely two days, a rarity in Ashes history.

The Travis Head effect

Head has made a habit of producing match-turning centuries at high tempo, his Ashes hundred at Brisbane in 2021 being another example. But this one felt definitive, a declaration that in this rivalry, Australia have a new tone-setter. If this is how the series has begun, England’s bowlers could be in for a long, or perhaps very short, few weeks.

England captain Ben Stokes conceded that his side were left completely “shellshocked” by Travis Head’s breathtaking knock, which powered Australia to a dominant eight-wicket victory in the opening Ashes Test in Perth. The match finished inside two days, as Australia rose above the early chaos and seized control with ruthless efficiency.

Boland’s burst and Head’s fireworks leave England stunned

England looked well placed at lunch on Day 2, having reached 65 for 1 with a lead approaching 100 runs. But their promising position evaporated within minutes. A dramatic collapse, four wickets tumbling for just 11 runs, handed Australia all the momentum. Scott Boland’s sharp burst ignited the turnaround, and although England’s lower-order fought to post 205, it was nowhere near enough once Head walked out.

With Usman Khawaja unavailable, the decision to promote Head to the top proved a masterstroke. The left-hander launched a fierce counter-attack, smashing 123 off just 83 balls in an innings packed with clean hitting and fearless intent. He single-handedly dismantled England’s plans and steered Australia to the target in only 28.2 overs.

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Speaking after the defeat, Stokes openly praised Australia’s match-winner. “That innings from Travis Head was pretty phenomenal,” he said. “It’s still very raw, but that knock really took the wind out of us. We tried different plans, but when someone’s going that hard, it’s tough to stop.”

England captain calls for quick reset ahead of crucial Brisbane Test

While critics pointed to England’s aggressive batting as a factor in their collapse, Stokes insisted the approach wasn’t the problem, execution was. “The players who took the game on found success,” he said. “Occupying the crease didn’t seem to work on this surface. On wickets like this, you never feel you have enough runs.”

Despite the disappointment, Stokes highlighted the positive impact of England’s five-man pace attack, which impressed during Australia’s first innings on a lively pitch that saw 19 wickets fall on Day 1. With a long break before the day-night Test in Brisbane starting December 4, England aim to regroup quickly.

“It hurts, obviously,” Stokes admitted. “But we’ve got four games left. We’ll let this sink in and then move on, we’ve got to hit the ground running in Brisbane.”

The Ashes contest between England and Australia has meant more than cricket for a long time. It is a fiercely contested, emotional, and traditional battle. Over the years, we have witnessed amazing achievements in the competition, but it has been replete with moments of fiery controversy that reverberated throughout the cricketing community.

From dubious tactics, wickets that incited commotion, or farcical events off the field, the Ashes has consistently raised the level of debate over the "spirit of the game." These incidents brought about international debate, were major catalysts for changes in playing laws, and became incendiary chapters in cricket's oldest rivalry. In this article, we will remember some of the most memorable and controversial moments in the Ashes;

1. The Bodyline Series (1932–33)

The Bodyline series is generally seen as the most notorious embarrassment for the cricket world. England employed aggressive leg-side field placements and a relentless short-pitched bowling assault to target Don Bradman. While the Bodyline approach was legal at the time, it was deemed dangerous and not in keeping with the spirit of the game. The whole incident escalated to the point that it almost soured relations between England and Australia, and it was a catalyst for major changes in cricket rules. 

2. Dennis Lillee’s Aluminium Bat Incident (1979–80)

Not too long ago we experienced one of the strangest happenings in the history of the Ashes as Dennis Lillee walked onto the field wielding an aluminium bat. England protested it was damaging the ball and while it was not against the rules, he was asked to change bats. Lillee threw the bat down with disgust and the event became an exciting and heated moment, that we will never forget.

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3. Jonny Bairstow’s Controversial Stumping (2023)

Last summer in the 2023 Lord's Test, it happened when Jonny Bairstow walked out of his crease after thinking the ball was dead. Alex Carey threw down the stumps and Bairstow was given out. The dismissal was within the laws of the game, however it lead to worldwide debate on the "spirit of cricket" - divided fans and former players alike and it led, and continues to lead to discussion about the "spirit of the game."

4. Michael Clarke’s Sledging Outburst (2013–14)

While standing near the pitch, Australian captain Michael Clarke threatened James Anderson by saying, "Get ready for a broken f**ing arm."* This incident encapsulated the intense rivalry of the Ashes, while also highlighting the limits of sportsmanship. It has proven to be one of the most scrutinized and replayed instances of sledging in cricket.

5. Tim Paine’s Sexting Scandal (2021)

Before the Ashes in 2021–22 series began, Australian captain Tim Paine resigned after previous sexting scandal resurfaced. His sudden departure created chaos and won a major story from that series. Off-field happenings have dominated the discussion and there are renewed conversations about what counts as legitimate leadership and accountability in cricket.

The Ashes represents one of cricket’s liveliest and most storied rivalries, perhaps among sporting rivalries in general, between England and Australia since 1882–83. The series started after a mock obituary claimed that English cricket was “dead” after a calamitous defeat, and thus began the myth of the Ashes and a fierce rivalry. Over time, the small terracotta urn has come to symbolize the outcome of the series, though the original remains in Lord’s, and only replicas are given to the winning team.

What makes the Ashes rivalry so remarkable is the definitive lead changes. England had the upper hand early on, and by the end of the 20th century Australia had started an extended period of dominance, including winning 8 successive series from 1989 to 2002–03. Unforgettable incidents in the Ashes include Ian Botham’s incredible performances in 1981, Shane Warne’s “Ball of the Century,” and Ben Stokes’s miraculous unmatched 135 at Headingley in August 2019, which stand out as some of cricket’s greatest moments. More recently the competitiveness of this rivalry remained high and 2023 had the series end level at 2–2, and Australia retained the urn as the previous holders.

Historic and Recent Series: What’s at Stake

As of 2023, Australia has claimed 34 of the 73 Ashes series, with England winning 32 and 7 drawn. A drawn series results in the current holder of the urn keeping it, which means that many competitive series have resulted in one side remaining the holder of the urn without a victory. Australia secured a comfortable 4-0 victory for the 2021-22 Ashes series, and the 2023 Ashes was among the most evenly contested in decades.

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More than merely a battle for a trophy, the Ashes represents the changing nature of the game of cricket, its strategies, and the individual players that have created cricketing history throughout the last one-hundred-and-forty years of matches. From whitewashes to last-wicket victories, every series adds another page to the remarkable story of the Ashes.

Ashes Series Result Summary (1882–83 to 2023)

The 2025/26 edition of the Ashes begins on November 21 at the Optus Stadium in Perth, as the stadium, making its debut in 2018, will host its first-ever Ashes Test, having missed out on the chance in the last edition. There is an enticing excitement around the series, especially due to the project of Bazball, designed for the trip among the visitors, led by captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.

Ahead of another chapter in the history book of the two teams, let’s take a look at the best batting performances in Ashes history, which is consisted of Don Bradman, Steve Smith, and others. It might not be the highest individual score of the rivalry, but it has been one of the best knocks regarding the situation and atmosphere of the game. 

Batting has never been an easy job in any of these two countries. In England, it's always a challenge in swinging conditions. Even if the batters get set, when the clouds roll over, the temparture goes down to live up the grass and create pressure on the batters. Meanwhile, in Australia, it's about the batters getting getting ready to the pace and bounce of the quick surfaces while the spinners come into play late on the fourth and fifth day. 

Let’s take a look at the top five batting performances in history of Ashes-

1. Don Bradman (Australia)

The former Australia captain, Don Bradman, was the most successful batter of the Ashes rivalry as the right-handed batter collected 5028 runs in 63 innings at an average of nearly 90 and a strike rate of 58.07 with the help of 19 centuries and 12 half-centuries at the best score of 334.

His highest score of 334 is the second-best individual score in Ashes history. That knock came in 1930 at Leeds in Headingley. The tourists batted first to post 566 runs in the first innings as Bill Woodfull’s 50 was the second-best knock of the scorecard after Bradman’s 334.

England were bundled out for 391 in the second innings and were forced to follow on, to which they gathered 95/3 as the game ended in a draw.

2. Steve Smith (Australia)

Smith sits as the third leading run-getter in the history of the Ashes with 3417 runs in 66 innings at an average of 56, scoring 12 centuries and 13 fifties at the best score of 239. He is just around 200 runs away from overtaking Jack Hobbs to claim the second spot on the list.

The Australian captain marked his return to the game after a one-year suspension in 2019 at Edgbaston. In the first innings, the visitors were cruising at 122/8 with Smith playing the lone hand. But he smashed a fine knock of 144 runs with 16 fours and two sixes before repeating the heroics in the second innings with 142, thanks to 14 boundaries.

3. Alastair Cook (England) 

Alastair Cook has a decent record in the history of the Ashes. The former England opening batter and the captain of the side, smashed 2493 runs in the red-ball format against Australia at an average of over 40 with the help of five centuries and 11 half-centuries at the best score of 244.

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His best knock of 244 came during England’s trip down under in 2017. At the iconic MCG, the southpaw carried his bat for the hostile 409-ball innings, which was decorated with 27 boundaries as he spent over 144 overs in the middle. Time was not enough for the result as England completed a draw.

4. Ben Stokes (England)

2019 was a golden period for the England side as they won the ODI World Cup for the very first time. A couple of weeks later, the focus shifted to the Ashes at home. They lost the opening clash at Edgbaston and drew the second one at Lord’s as the eyes turned to the third game at Leeds in Headingley.

Following the target of 359, the hosts were nine down for 286 runs as the defeat looked inevitable for England. Stokes, who was on 61, refused to give up and charged against the Australian bowlers right, left, and center. Thanks to several big shots against a clinical opponent bowling line-up, he remained unbeaten on 135 and leveled the series at 1-1.

5. Adam Gilchirst (Australia) 

During the second Test of the Ashes 2006/07, England were struggling against the hosts after the first two games. The third fixture was a do-or-die encounter for the visitors. Taking a lead of around 29 runs in the completion of the respective first innings of both sides, Australia came heavily against the poms.

The wicket-keeper batter, Adam Gilchrist, nailed a fiery unbeaten century of 57 deliveries, which is still the fastest ton in the history of the Ashes. His unbeaten 102-run knock was hard to breach as the England side lost the clash by a huge margin of 206 runs.

Along with some of the memorable batting performances, the Ashes series has been historic thanks to some of the fiercest bowling. It’s about the moments of the game, like how you start the game, whether it’s the delivery from Steve Harmison in the second slip to start the trip or Mitchell Starc’s leg-side delivery breaking the stumps of Rory Burns around the leg. 

Over the years, several bowlers, irrespective of pacers and spinners, have provided some of the sensational bowling performances in the Ashes history. The Ashes 2025/26 series will begin on November 21 at the Optus Stadium in Perth, and before that, here is a glance at the top five best bowling performances in Ashes history.

In the list of the top five bowling performances in the Ashes history, only two spinners each from respective sides have got their chances. Jim Laker is from England who had an incredible record, while there is no race to the late great King Shane Warne. The latter was a nightmare to the England batters whether they play at home or make their trip to down under.  

Let’s take a look at the Top 5 bowling performances in history of Ashes-

1. Jim Laker (England)

The former England off-spinner, Jim Laker, was incredibly successful in his bowling against Australia in the history of the Ashes. The late spinner picked up 79 wickets in just 33 innings at an average of 18.27 and a strike rate of 50 with five five-wicket hauls and as many four-wicket hauls at the best bowling figure of 10/53.

Laker’s best bowling came in 1956 at the Old Trafford ground in Manchester, when in the first innings, he ended with magical figures of 9/37 in 16.4 overs as the visitors were bundled out for 84 with only two batters getting into the double figures. In the second innings, he collected 10/53 to build up the match figures of 19/90 to collect an innings and 170 run win.

2. Stuart Broad (England)

Australia will never forget the 2015 Ashes Test at Trent Bridge. It was one of those unique games where all the edges were nearly taken at the slip region or to the wicket-keeper. James Anderson was out of the clash due to injury, as the responsibility fell on the home boy, Stuart Broad, who ended with 8/15 in his 9.5 overs. Australia got bundled out for 60 in the first innings and couldn’t recover from that position to face a massive innings and 78-run defeat.

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Broad, who retired during the 2023 Ashes at the Kennington Oval in South London, is the third leading wicket-taker in Ashes history with 153 scalps at 28.96 in 74 innings at a strike rate of 54.44 with eight fifers in the format against Australia.

3. Glenn McGrath (Australia)

The former Australian pacer, Glenn McGrath, was known for putting in the hard yards in the same line and length in a handkerchief and continued to pick wickets or either drying up the runs at one end, which opens the gate of wickets falling from the other side. He is the second leading wicket-taker in Ashes history with 157 wickets at an average of 20.92 and a strike rate of 46, thanks to 10 fifers.

McGrath’s best bowling figures of 8/38 came at the iconic Lord’s Test in 1997. The home side was bundled out for 77 runs in 42.3 overs before Australia grabbed a massive lead of over 150 runs. However, the foul weather and improved batting from the home side in the second innings ended it as a draw.

4. Shane Warne (Australia) 

Over the years, Shane Warne has had several memorable bowling performances in the Ashes. The former late great leg spinner is the leading run-getter of the Ashes history with 195 wickets in just 72 innings at an average of 23.25 and a strike rate of 55.16, having 11 five-wicket hauls at the best bowling figures of 8/71 in an innings.

His best performance in the Ashes also came through a six-wicket haul, and that was in 1997 at Old Trafford in Manchester. In the first innings, Australia were bundled out for less than 250 as they needed an inspiring bowling performance, and Warne stood out. He finished with 6/48 in 30 overs as the tourists claimed a 268-run win.

5. Mitchell Starc (Australia) 

Heading into the opening Test of the five-match Ashes 2025/26 series, the pressure was on Australia's premier pacer, Mitchell Starc, in the opening clash at the Optus Stadium in Perth, especially in the absence of the two otehr experienced fast bowlers- Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. Moreover, England had made several headlines by their Bazball approach.

In the first innings of the contest, the left-arm pacer picked up a breath-taking 7/58 in 12.5 overs with four maidens at an economy rate of 4.5. He terrorized the visiting batters with his pace and bounce before backing it up with anoter fine spell of 3/55 runs in 12 overs at an economy rate of nearly five with one maiden. He also won the Player of the Match award in Australia's eight-wicket victory. 

England have kept their cards close to their chest ahead of the first Ashes Test in Perth, naming a 12-man squad that includes off-spinner Shoaib Bashir alongside a formidable pack of express quicks. With Mark Wood passed fit after hamstring soreness and bowling with serious heat in training, the visitors look increasingly likely to unleash an all-pace attack for the series opener starting Friday.

The final call rests between Bashir and seamer Brydon Carse, a decision heavily influenced by conditions at the traditionally quick and bouncy Perth Stadium. Pitch curator Isaac McDonald has promised plenty of pace and carry, aligning with England’s long-held plan to go all-seam. But with signs of dryness on the surface, Bashir remains firmly in the conversation.

Bashir’s Return and England’s Pace Gamble Shape Ashes Opener

Despite struggling in the lone warm-up match after returning from a broken finger, Bashir has earned England’s trust over the past year. The 22-year-old became the youngest English bowler to reach 50 Test wickets earlier this year and has been the team’s preferred spinner in red-ball cricket. His selection would mark the rare instance of an England player appearing in an Ashes Test without currently being attached to a county side.

However, the prospect of an attack featuring Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Stokes, and Carse, all touching 90mph, has drawn comparisons to the fastest English outfits of the past, including the storied 2005 and 1970-71 touring groups. With only five players in the squad having Test experience in Australia, England believe their lack of “scarring” could be a hidden advantage.

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Atkinson echoed that sentiment, saying the group’s freshness brings clarity rather than fear: “No scars. A huge opportunity to do something special.”

Australia, meanwhile, are set to debut opener Jake Weatherald and may hand a first Test cap to quick Brendan Doggett following injuries to Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. With both sides dealing with new faces and fresh dynamics, the opening Test promises a fiery start to what is already shaping as a blockbuster Ashes summer.

Squads

England 12-man squad for 1st Test:
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 squad (1st Test):
Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.