Mitchell Starc made history in the 2025–26 Ashes Australia Vs England by taking his 100th Ashes wicket and a five-wicket haul. He became the first left-arm fast bowler to reach this mark in Ashes history. He dismissed Joe Root for a duck, which gave Australia a strong start in the opening session. Root was under pressure because he had never scored a Test century in Australia, and his poor record there continued.
Starc took three quick wickets in the first 10 overs. His spell started with Zak Crawley, whom he dismissed in the very first over. The ball moved across the opener, and Crawley edged it to Usman Khawaja at slip. His strike rate in Ashes Tests is 44.8, the best among all bowlers who have taken 100 Ashes wickets.
Starc struck again in the 7th over. Ben Duckett had scored 21 runs from 20 balls, but Starc trapped him LBW. Duckett’s aggressive batting could not survive Starc’s accuracy. His biggest wicket came soon after. Joe Root faced only seven balls before edging Starc to Marnus Labuschagne at third slip. Root walked back for a duck. The crowd reacted with surprise, and Australian fans celebrated loudly.
Starc got his 4th wicket by bowling Ben Stokes. Stokes was beaten by a ball that cut back in and went through the gap between bat and pad. Mitchell Starc then got Gus Atkinson out on 30.1 overs. Atkinson edged the ball, and the catch was taken. It was Starc’s fifth wicket, and England was 161/7.
Starc has also built a record of taking wickets early in innings. He has taken 24 wickets in the first over of a Test innings, with most of them coming after 2015.
Ashes 2025-26 AUS vs ENG 1st Test: Playing XIs
The Ashes 2025–26, Australia Vs England, began in Perth on November 21. The first Test started at 7:50 AM IST at Perth Stadium. Australia are strong at home and have not lost any of their last six Test series there. They have also won 14 of the last 18 Ashes matches since the 2023 series.
Australia played without Pat Cummins, who has a back injury, and Josh Hazlewood, who has a hamstring injury. Steve Smith captained the team. Australia handed Test debuts to Jake Weatherald, who opened with Usman Khawaja, and Brendan Doggett, who became the first Australian fast-bowling debutant in four years. Doggett also became the third Indigenous Australian man to play Test cricket.
England captain Ben Stokes won the toss and chose to bat first. England picked an all-pace attack and left out spinner Shoaib Bashir. Jofra Archer returned to Ashes cricket after a long break. He bowled in the same Test XI as Mark Wood for only the second time.
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland
England: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood
Ashes 2025-26 AUS vs ENG 1st Test: Weather and Pitch Report
The first Aus Vs Eng Ashes Test of 2025 is being played at Optus Stadium in Perth. The weather forecast shows only a small chance of rain. The maximum temperature is expected to be 27°C, and the minimum is 13°C.
The pitch at Optus Stadium is known to be good for batting during the first two days. From the third day, the cracks on the surface can start helping fast bowlers, which is a common feature in Perth. The pitch for this Test is expected to have more grass than last year’s match between India and Australia. However, cracks may not open much, as seen in that previous game, where the pitch actually improved for batting later.
This match is the first time Australia and England have met at the new Optus Stadium. Australia has played five Tests here and has lost only once. England have lost the first Test of their last three tours in Australia.
Batting first after winning the toss is expected to be the best choice. Teams usually try to score at least 350–360 in the first innings to stay ahead. The average first-innings score at this ground is 308.
Both teams are aiming to start the five-match series with a win and take a 1-0 lead.
FAQs
Q. Where will the 2025 Ashes be played?
A. The 2025 Ashes series will begin in Perth.
Q. Where can fans in India watch the 2025 Ashes?
A. The 2025 Ashes will be shown live on the Star Sports Network.
Q. Is the next Ashes only 4 Tests?
A. No. The 2025–26 Ashes is a five-match Test series.
Q. Who has won more Ashes series?
A. Australia has won more, with 34 series wins compared to England’s 32. Seven series ended in draws.
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