Ashes 2025‑26 Opener Tomorrow: Steve Smith Leads Australia, England’s Lineup Speculated!

Perth, 20 November 2025 — The Ashes are back! The 2025–26 Ashes series between Australia and England officially kicks off tomorrow, with the first Test starting at Optus Stadium, Perth, from 21 November.

Here’s what to watch out for:

Key Details of the Series

Dates & Venues:

1. 1st Test: 21–25 Nov — Perth Stadium
2. 2nd Test (Day‑Night): 4–8 Dec — The Gabba, Brisbane
3. 3rd Test: 17–21 Dec — Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
4. 4th Test (Boxing Day): 26–30 Dec — MCG, Melbourne
5. 5th Test (New Year’s): 4–8 Jan — SCG, Sydney

Time (IST): The first Test starts around 7:50 AM IST according to the Indian broadcast schedule.

Captaincy:

Australia: Steve Smith is expected to lead, with Pat Cummins ruled out due to a back injury.

England: Led by Ben Stokes.

Significance: The series will be part of the 2025–2027 ICC World Test Championship.

Major Storylines

1. Historic Opening Venue: For the first time in over 40 years, the Ashes opener will be played in Perth instead of the Gabba.
2. New Faces in the Australian Team: Brendan Doggett, a lesser-known fast bowler, is set to make his Test debut.
3. England’s Challenge: England has not won an Ashes series in Australia since 2015, and they will try to overturn that with a retooled squad.
4. Broadcast & Streaming: In India, the series will be telecast on Sony Sports, and streaming will be via SonyLIV.

What Makes This Series Special

Compact Schedule: The five Tests are relatively close together, with only a week between some of the earlier Tests.

High Stakes: Australia will look to defend the urn on home soil. England, meanwhile, are under pressure to deliver with a strong performance.

Injury Impact: With Cummins out, Australia’s bowling attack will be tested. Meanwhile, England’s strategy under Ben Stokes will be in sharp focus.

Fan Excitement: This Ashes promises to bring classic Test cricket drama — top batting, pace bowling, and big moments across iconic venues.

Australia – 1st Test Playing XI:
Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland

England – 1st Test Probable XI (Speculated):
Ben Stokes (c), Zak Crawley, Joe Root, Ollie Pope, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith (wk), Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir