2025–26 Ashes series
Updated: 1/7/2026, 2:02:54 PM Wikipedia source
The 2025–26 Ashes series, branded as NRMA Insurance Men's Ashes Series for sponsorship reasons, is a series of Test cricket matches being played between Australia and England for The Ashes, between 21 November 2025 and 8 January 2026. The five-match series forms part of the 2025–2027 ICC World Test Championship. Australia were the holders of the Ashes, having won in 2021–22 and drawn in 2023. After taking a 3–0 lead in the series, Australia retained the Ashes. England won the 4th Test in Melbourne by 4 wickets, ending an 18-match (14-year) losing streak in Australia in Ashes Tests and prevented a whitewash.
Infobox
Date
21 November 2025 – 8 January 2026
Location
Australia
Teams
Teams Australia EnglandCaptains Steve Smith[a] Pat Cummins[b] Ben StokesMost runsTravis Head (437)Alex Carey (291) Marnus Labuschagne (174) Zak Crawley (256) Joe Root (234) Harry Brook (232)Most wicketsMitchell Starc (26) Scott Boland (16) Michael Neser (10) Brydon Carse (19) Ben Stokes (13) Josh Tongue (12)
Australia
England
Steve Smith[a]
Ben Stokes
mw- Steve Smith[a] Pat Cummins[b]
Ben Stokes
Mitchell Starc (26) Scott Boland (16) Michael Neser (10)
Brydon Carse (19) Ben Stokes (13) Josh Tongue (12)
Travis Head (437)Alex Carey (291) Marnus Labuschagne (174)
Zak Crawley (256) Joe Root (234) Harry Brook (232)
Tables
· Squads
Steve Smith (c)
Sean Abbott
Scott Boland
Alex Carey (wk)
Pat Cummins (c)
Brendan Doggett
Cameron Green
Josh Hazlewood
Travis Head
Josh Inglis (wk)
Usman Khawaja
Marnus Labuschagne
Nathan Lyon
Todd Murphy
Michael Neser
Jhye Richardson
Mitchell Starc
Jake Weatherald
Beau Webster
Steve Smith (c)
Sean Abbott
Scott Boland
Alex Carey (wk)
Pat Cummins (c)
Brendan Doggett
Cameron Green
Josh Hazlewood
Travis Head
Josh Inglis (wk)
Usman Khawaja
Marnus Labuschagne
Nathan Lyon
Todd Murphy
Michael Neser
Jhye Richardson
Mitchell Starc
Jake Weatherald
Beau Webster
Australia
Steve Smith (c)
Sean Abbott
Scott Boland
Alex Carey (wk)
Pat Cummins (c)
Brendan Doggett
Cameron Green
Josh Hazlewood
Travis Head
Josh Inglis (wk)
Usman Khawaja
Marnus Labuschagne
Nathan Lyon
Todd Murphy
Michael Neser
Jhye Richardson
Mitchell Starc
Jake Weatherald
Beau Webster
England
Ben Stokes (c)
Harry Brook (vc)
Jofra Archer
Gus Atkinson
Shoaib Bashir
Jacob Bethell
Brydon Carse
Zak Crawley
Ben Duckett
Matthew Fisher
Will Jacks
Ollie Pope (wk)
Matthew Potts
Joe Root
Jamie Smith (wk)
Josh Tongue
Mark Wood
| Australia | England |
| Steve Smith (c) Sean Abbott Scott Boland Alex Carey (wk) Pat Cummins (c) Brendan Doggett Cameron Green Josh Hazlewood Travis Head Josh Inglis (wk) Usman Khawaja Marnus Labuschagne Nathan Lyon Todd Murphy Michael Neser Jhye Richardson Mitchell Starc Jake Weatherald Beau Webster | Ben Stokes (c) Harry Brook (vc) Jofra Archer Gus Atkinson Shoaib Bashir Jacob Bethell Brydon Carse Zak Crawley Ben Duckett Matthew Fisher Will Jacks Ollie Pope (wk) Matthew Potts Joe Root Jamie Smith (wk) Josh Tongue Mark Wood |
· Statistics › Leading run-scorers
Travis Head
Travis Head
Rank
1
Name
Travis Head
Runs
437
Inns.
8
NO
0
HS
170
Ave.
54.62
100s
2
50s
0
SR
84.20
Alex Carey
Alex Carey
Rank
2
Name
Alex Carey
Runs
291
Inns.
6
NO
0
HS
106
Ave.
48.50
100s
1
50s
2
SR
71.49
Zak Crawley
Zak Crawley
Rank
3
Name
Zak Crawley
Runs
256
Inns.
8
NO
0
HS
85
Ave.
32.00
100s
0
50s
2
SR
64.81
Joe Root
Joe Root
Rank
4
Name
Joe Root
Runs
234
Inns.
8
NO
1
HS
138*
Ave.
33.42
100s
1
50s
0
SR
57.49
Harry Brook
Harry Brook
Rank
5
Name
Harry Brook
Runs
232
Inns.
8
NO
1
HS
52
Ave.
33.14
100s
0
50s
1
SR
79.18
| Rank | Name | Runs | Inns. | NO | HS | Ave. | 100s | 50s | SR |
| 1 | Travis Head | 437 | 8 | 0 | 170 | 54.62 | 2 | 0 | 84.20 |
| 2 | Alex Carey | 291 | 6 | 0 | 106 | 48.50 | 1 | 2 | 71.49 |
| 3 | Zak Crawley | 256 | 8 | 0 | 85 | 32.00 | 0 | 2 | 64.81 |
| 4 | Joe Root | 234 | 8 | 1 | 138* | 33.42 | 1 | 0 | 57.49 |
| 5 | Harry Brook | 232 | 8 | 1 | 52 | 33.14 | 0 | 1 | 79.18 |
| Source: ESPNcricinfo | |||||||||
· Statistics › Leading wicket-takers
Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc
Rank
1
Name
Mitchell Starc
Wkts.
26
Ovs.
111.5
Mdns.
11
Runs
453
Eco.
4.05
Ave.
17.42
Best.
7/58
Brydon Carse
Brydon Carse
Rank
2
Name
Brydon Carse
Wkts.
19
Ovs.
103.4
Mdns.
11
Runs
486
Eco.
4.68
Ave.
25.57
Best.
4/34
Scott Boland
Scott Boland
Rank
3
Name
Scott Boland
Wkts.
16
Ovs.
108.5
Mdns.
19
Runs
368
Eco.
3.38
Ave.
23.00
Best.
4/33
Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes
Rank
4
Name
Ben Stokes
Wkts.
13
Ovs.
73.3
Mdns.
6
Runs
282
Eco.
3.83
Ave.
21.69
Best.
5/23
Josh Tongue
Josh Tongue
Rank
5
Name
Josh Tongue
Wkts.
12
Ovs.
56.2
Mdns.
5
Runs
223
Eco.
3.95
Ave.
18.58
Best.
5/45
| Rank | Name | Wkts. | Ovs. | Mdns. | Runs | Eco. | Ave. | Best. |
| 1 | Mitchell Starc | 26 | 111.5 | 11 | 453 | 4.05 | 17.42 | 7/58 |
| 2 | Brydon Carse | 19 | 103.4 | 11 | 486 | 4.68 | 25.57 | 4/34 |
| 3 | Scott Boland | 16 | 108.5 | 19 | 368 | 3.38 | 23.00 | 4/33 |
| 4 | Ben Stokes | 13 | 73.3 | 6 | 282 | 3.83 | 21.69 | 5/23 |
| 5 | Josh Tongue | 12 | 56.2 | 5 | 223 | 3.95 | 18.58 | 5/45 |
| Source: ESPNcricinfo | ||||||||
References
- In the absence of Test captain Pat Cummins due to injury, Steve Smith assumed the captaincy for the first, second, fourt
- Cummins returned to the captaincy in the third Test.
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/oct/27/pat-cummins-injury-australia-captain-out-first-ashes-test-cricket
- ESPNcricinfohttps://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ashes-2025-26-pat-cummins-misses-brisbane-test-australia-name-unchanged-14-1513318
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- BBC Sporthttps://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/articles/c1m84mppgmko
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- England and Wales Cricket Boardhttps://www.ecb.co.uk/news/4367436/england-men-name-16man-squad-for-ashes-series
- Cricket Australiahttps://www.cricket.com.au/news/4400600/new-injury-clouds-circle-australias-test-attack-josh-hazlewood-sean-abbott-ashes-2025-new-south-wales-victoria-sheffield-shield-nsw
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