Ashes 2025/26: Australia Eye the Urn, England Fight for Survival

Australia arrive in Adelaide with a 2-0 lead and the Ashes urn almost within reach. One more win, or even a draw, will allow them to retain the trophy. But the third Test brings its own tension, as questions swirl around the XI and the selectors prepare for another round of tough calls.

History is not on England’s side. No team since Don Bradman’s Australia in 1936-37 has come back from 2-0 down to win a five-match series. England have also lost 15 and drawn two of their last 17 away Ashes Tests since they last retained the urn in Australia in 2010-11.

Yet England will quietly remind themselves that they fought back from a similar situation in 2023. They were 2-0 down at home, drew a rain-hit Test at Old Trafford and won the final two matches to square the series. They now need that spirit again. But this time, in Australia.

On the other hand, Australia will walk into Adelaide with confidence. They have won each of their last 5 Test matches. England, meanwhile, have won only one of their last 5 Tests and remain winless in their last 17 Tests in Australia. The recent head-to-head contests have been competitive, but local conditions continue to tilt the balance toward Australia. 

Australia Team News

Australia’s biggest boost comes with the return of captain Pat Cummins, who has been included in the 15-man squad and will walk straight back into the XI. Usman Khawaja also returns to the squad after missing the second Test due to a back injury, though Jake Weatherald and Travis Head have impressed at the top of the order.

Weatherald scored his first Test fifty at the Gabba, while Head has been one of Australia’s most reliable performers across formats in recent years. Khawaja’s comeback as an opener appears unlikely, but Head’s versatility may dictate the batting order if Khawaja starts.

The rest of the batting order remains fluid. In Brisbane, Cameron Green batted at No. 5 ahead of Alex Carey and Josh Inglis. The idea from the selectors looks clear and it is to have a deep batting unit. 

With Cummins back, fringe pacers Brendan Doggett and Michael Neser, who took five wickets in the second innings in Brisbane, may step aside. Nathan Lyon is also expected to return after being left out in Brisbane, ending a run of 13 years without missing a home Test.

Even with Cummins back, Mitchell Starc will lead the attack. Starc took 10 wickets in the Perth Test and 8 in the second Test at Gabba. He now has 48 wickets in his last 10 Tests, making him Australia’s most dangerous weapon with the ball. Scott Boland, who has 29 wickets in his last 5 Tests, will provide strong support along with Cummins.

Josh Hazlewood will miss the entire series after a calf-related setback. His next target will be the T20 World Cup in February 2026.

Australia Squad (3rd Ashes Test):

Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

Australia Probable XI:

Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Cameron Green, Josh Inglis (wk), Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

England Team News

England’s problems have deepened with Mark Wood ruled out of Ashes 2025/26. The 35-year-old express-quick missed the Gabba Test due to the recurrence of the knee injury that troubled him throughout the year. Surrey seamer Matthew Fisher joins the squad as his replacement. Fisher played his only Test against West Indies in 2022.

England showed promise with the bat in the first innings at the Gabba, scoring 334. Joe Root finally scored his first Test hundred in Australia, his 40th overall. But England’s bowling fell apart, conceding more than 500 runs. In the second innings, they managed only one fifty, from Ben Stokes and the batting unit suffered.

For England to compete, Root and Harry Brook must carry the batting load. Root has 927 runs at 57.94 in his last 10 matches, while Brook has 816 runs at 45.33 at a strike rate of 86.62. The top order of Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope must survive Mitchell Starc’s new-ball spell if England want to avoid another collapse. They need to give Root a platform, not a rescue job.

Some experts have called for Jonny Bairstow to return to the squad, believing his experience could steady the batting unit.

England’s main issue, however, is their bowling. Brydon Carse has 9 wickets in two Tests and Ben Stokes has 8 scalps. Mitchell Starc alone has 18. England are missing a match-winning fast bowler. Jofra Archer hasn’t delivered the impact many expected of him. But Archer still holds the key. England need his pace and control to challenge Australia’s batting. Stokes has taken 35 wickets in his last 9 matches, while Carse has 26 in his last 8. England has the talent but the mindset is missing.

England’s Ashes Squad:

Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Matthew Fisher

England Probable XI:

Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Fisher, Jofra Archer

Ashes 2025/26 Remaining Fixtures

1st Test, Perth: Australia won by 8 wickets
2nd Test, Brisbane: Australia won by 8 wickets
3rd Test, Adelaide: December 17–21
4th Test, Melbourne: December 26–30
5th Test, Sydney: January 4–8

Australia stand on the brink of another Ashes triumph. England cling to survival. Adelaide will show whether the series tightens or ends early.