Australia retain The Ashes, all eyes on the Boxing Day Test at MCG

Australia have done it again. An unassailable 3-0 lead in the Ashes means the series is already decided. It is now four straight home Ashes series wins for Australia, a run that began in 2013-14. On each occasion, they have sealed the urn by winning the first three Tests.

The fourth Test moves to the MCG for the Boxing Day clash, the most anticipated match of every Australian summer. The contest still matters, but the story of the series is already written.

For England, the numbers paint a bleak picture. Their last Test win in Australia came in 2011 at the SCG. Since then, they have gone 18 consecutive Tests without a win on Australian soil. That streak now equals the longest winless run by any team in Australia, matching New Zealand’s 18-match sequence between 1985 and 2011. 

England actually played their best cricket of the series in Adelaide. But even that wasn’t enough. Australia retained the urn despite missing Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins, Steven Smith, Usman Khawaja and Nathan Lyon at various points across the first three Tests. Before the start of the Ashes, the focus was on England’s ‘Bazballers’ against an ageing Australian side. The reality has been very different. 

Australia will now arrive at the iconic MCG beaming with pride and confidence. They have won 5 straight Tests and England have not won any of their last five, losing 4 and drawing 1. 

Australia form guide: WWWWWWLWWW

The win in Adelaide made it 6 in a row, something Australia have achieved only 8 other times in their history.

Australia Team News

Pat Cummins will miss the rest of the Ashes. The skipper returned in Adelaide after recovering from a back stress injury but will now rest with the series already won and an eye on 2026 T20 World Cup. Jhye Richardson and Todd Murphy have been added to the squad for the Boxing Day Test.

Steve Smith is expected to return and lead the side in Cummins’ absence, pending recovery from the inner-ear issue that ruled him out in Adelaide.

Nathan Lyon is also unavailable. Cricket Australia confirmed he needs surgery after tearing his right hamstring while fielding on Day 5 in Adelaide. Todd Murphy is now set to return to Test cricket at home after last playing in Sri Lanka earlier in February.

Jhye Richardson could make his first Test appearance in 4 years if selected. His last Test came in the 2021 Ashes. He has undergone three shoulder surgeries and has been gradually building his workload through the series.

Travis Head and Jake Weatherald have impressed at the top, making Usman Khawaja’s return as an opener unlikely. Khawaja, however, showed his value with scores of 82 and 40 batting at No. 4 in Adelaide. A middle order slot looks certain for him. 

Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith remain locked in at Nos. 3 and 4. Cameron Green continues at No. 5. Alex Carey has been outstanding. He scored 106 and 72 in Adelaide, taking his tally to 743 runs in his last 10 matches at an average of 53.07. Carey is the first Australian wicketkeeper to score a century and a fifty in the same Test. Only Head has more runs than him in the last 10 matches from the current squad, with 759 at an average of 42.17.

Australia’s Main Weapon

Mitchell Starc will again lead the attack. He took 10 wickets in Perth, 8 at the Gabba and 4 in Adelaide. That gives him 22 wickets in this Ashes at an average of 17.04. He now has 51 wickets in his last 10 Tests and he became the first bowler to reach 50 Test wickets in 2025. Scott Boland has 27 wickets in his last 5 Tests, including 4 scalps in Adelaide.

Australia squad (Boxing Day Test):

Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster

Probable XI:

Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc, Michael Neser/Brendan Doggett, Jhye Richardson, Scott Boland

England form guide: LLLLDWLWWLW 

The Brits have now lost 4 Tests in a row and have won only 1 of their last 7 Tests. 

England Team News

England have been outplayed in every department. Batting, bowling, fielding, wicket-keeping and composure under pressure have all tilted heavily toward Australia. Mark Wood was previously sidelined and now Archer is also ruled out of the series.

Joe Root has now played 17 Tests in Australia without a win, the second-most by any player in a country. Only Dudley Nourse played more, with 20 Tests in South Africa without victory. Root has been part of 15 defeats in those 17 Tests, the joint-most by any visiting player, alongside James Anderson and Alastair Cook. 

Root has 4 Test hundreds in 2025 and will again carry England’s hopes. He has two fifties across 5 Test innings at MCG. Ben Stokes has managed just 69 runs at 17.25 in 4 innings. Zak Crawley is the only other player from England’s current Ashes squad to play a Test at the venue where he recorded scores of 12 and 5 in 2021. 

England’s lack of first-innings runs has hurt them in all three Tests and that remains their biggest concern heading into Melbourne. 

With the Ashes already gone, England will look to salvage pride. But their options are limited. They have a 16-man squad with only one reserve batter in Jacob Bethell.

Changes look inevitable. Ollie Pope managed scores of 3 and 17 in Adelaide. Bethell could get a chance or Will Jacks might move up the order. Shoaib Bashir remains an option, but England passed on him in Adelaide.

Josh Tongue impressed with 4 wickets in the second innings in Adelaide. Brydon Carse struggled, conceding more than four-and-a-half runs per over. 

England Ashes squad:

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

England XI:

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue/Shoaib Bashir

Ashes 2025/26 Schedule

1st Test, Perth: Australia won by 8 wickets
2nd Test, Brisbane: Australia won by 8 wickets
3rd Test, Adelaide: Australia won by 82 runs
4th Test, Melbourne: December 26-30
5th Test, Sydney: January 4-8

Australia have already secured the Ashes. England now play for dignity. The MCG will decide whether this series offers the visitors a rare moment of relief.