The latest Ashes series, held in Australia from November 2025 to January 2026, concluded with Australia winning the five-match series 4–1 to retain the urn. Australia dominated the early stages with victories in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide, while England secured a lone, historic 4-wicket victory during the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The series finale at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) saw Australia clinch a 5-wicket win on the fifth day to seal the emphatic scoreline. Mitchell Starc was named the Player of the Series after taking 31 wickets, while Travis Head finished as the leading run-scorer with 629 runs.
In this guide, you will find a deep dive into every Test match result, standout individual performances, and the tactical shifts that defined the summer. We also provide practical information for fans looking ahead to the 2027 series in England and answers to the most searched questions regarding the 2025-26 Ashes.
Australia Retains the Ashes
Australia successfully retained the Ashes by taking an insurmountable 3–0 lead within the first three matches of the 2025-26 summer. The victory was built on a clinical bowling attack led by Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland, who exploited home conditions to perfection.
The series victory continues Australia’s long-standing dominance on home soil, where they have not lost an Ashes series since 2010-11. Captain Steve Smith, stepping in for the injured Pat Cummins for much of the series, praised the squad’s depth and resilience throughout the campaign.
First Test: Perth Dominance
The series opened at Perth Stadium on November 21, 2025, marking the first time a home Ashes series did not begin at the Gabba since 1982. Australia secured an 8-wicket victory inside just two days, a result that set a daunting tone for the visiting England side.
Mitchell Starc was the architect of the win, claiming 7/58 in the first innings as England collapsed for 172. Travis Head’s blistering 123 off just 83 balls in the second innings effectively ended the contest, showcasing the aggressive “New Era” style of Australian batting.
Second Test: Brisbane Day-Night
The action moved to Brisbane for a day-night Test match at the Gabba starting December 4, 2025. Australia continued their winning streak with another 8-wicket win, largely thanks to a mammoth first-innings total of 511.
England’s batters struggled under the lights against the pink ball, despite a fighting effort from Joe Root. Mitchell Starc again proved to be the difference-maker, earning Player of the Match honors for his lethal spells during the twilight sessions.
Third Test: Adelaide Victory
The third Test at the Adelaide Oval confirmed Australia’s series win, as the hosts triumphed by 82 runs. Batting first, Australia posted 371, anchored by consistent contributions from the middle order and a standout performance by Alex Carey.
England showed significant fight in their chase of 352, reaching 352 but ultimately falling short as the Australian spin and seam combination proved too persistent. This victory officially ensured the Ashes urn would remain in Australia for at least another two years.
Fourth Test: England’s MCG Consolation
The Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground provided a historic moment for England, who won by 4 wickets to end a 14-year losing streak in Ashes Tests in Australia. The match was characterized by a green pitch that saw the contest completed in just two days.
England’s Josh Tongue took a career-defining five-wicket haul, becoming the first Englishman to do so at the MCG since 1998. The match also saw a record-breaking Day 1 crowd of 94,199, the largest ever for a cricket match in Australia.
Fifth Test: Sydney Finale
The series concluded at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) with Australia securing a 5-wicket win to finalize the series at 4–1. England batted first and posted 384, but Australia responded with a massive 567 in their first innings.
The final day saw Australia chase down 160, with Alex Carey and Cameron Green guiding the team home. The match also marked the farewell of Usman Khawaja, who retired from Test cricket as a winner in front of his home crowd.
Player of the Series: Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc was awarded the Compton–Miller Medal as the Player of the Series for his exceptional consistency and strike power. He finished with 31 wickets, the highest among all bowlers in the five-match stretch.
Starc’s performance was historic, as he surpassed Wasim Akram to become the highest wicket-taker among left-arm fast bowlers in Test history during the series. His ability to swing the new ball and generate reverse swing with the old ball left England’s top order frequently exposed.
Leading Run-Scorers
Travis Head dominated the batting charts, accumulating 629 runs at an aggressive strike rate that frequently shifted the momentum in Australia’s favor. His century in Perth was regarded as the definitive knock of the series.
For England, Joe Root remained the most consistent performer, scoring 400 runs and finally recording his first-ever Test century on Australian soil. Harry Brook also showed flashes of brilliance, becoming the fastest player to reach 3,000 Test runs in terms of balls faced during the MCG Test.
Historical Milestones Reached
The 2025-26 series was rich with historical significance beyond the final scoreline. Steve Smith surpassed Allan Border to become the second-highest run-scorer in Ashes history, trailing only the legendary Sir Donald Bradman.
Additionally, the series was the first since 1888 to feature two Test matches that were completed within just two days of play. This sparked widespread debate regarding pitch preparation and the balance between bat and ball in the modern game.
Tactical Analysis: “Bazball” in Australia
England’s aggressive “Bazball” approach faced its toughest test yet on the bouncy, true surfaces of Australia. While it led to a historic win in Melbourne, the strategy was criticized for being too high-risk in Perth and Brisbane where the margins for error are slim.
Australia’s tactical response was one of “calculated aggression,” utilizing deep boundary riders to frustrate English hitters while maintaining a disciplined line and length. This tactical victory for the Australian coaching staff was a primary factor in the 4–1 result.
Future Outlook: 2027 Ashes
Looking ahead, the next Ashes series is scheduled to take place in England during the summer of 2027. England will be desperate to reclaim the urn on home soil, where they have traditionally been much more competitive.
Australia will likely face a transition period before 2027, with veteran stars like Usman Khawaja and potentially Steve Smith nearing the end of their careers. Emerging talents such as Jacob Bethell (England) and Jake Weatherald (Australia) are expected to play larger roles in the next chapter of the rivalry.
2025–26 series schedule
The Ashes latest schedule ran from 21 November 2025 to 14 January 2026, with each Test lasting five days and typically starting on a Thursday or Friday in the Australian calendar. The first Test was held at the WACA Ground in Perth from 21–25 November 2025, followed by the second at the Adelaide Oval from 29 November to 3 December 2025, the third at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from 6–10 December 2025, the fourth at the Sydney Cricket Ground from 14–18 January 2026, and the fifth at The Gabba in Brisbane from 24–28 October 2025 (adjusted for broadcast‑and‑fixture‑reasons).
Each venue used a standard‑day‑night‑or‑traditional‑day‑session‑structure, with England‑tour‑dates adjusted to fit around international‑breaks and local‑cricket‑schedules, while still allowing the Ashes‑arena to operate at full‑capacity. The series‑start‑date in late‑November and the finish‑in‑mid‑January meant that the Australian‑cricket‑season peak‑time coincided with the Ashes‑weeks, giving fans ideal‑weather‑conditions for most‑matches except in the usual‑rain‑prone‑areas like parts of Brisbane. The 2025–26 fixture‑list also left space for warm‑up‑matches and practice‑games before the first‑Test in Perth, which helped both teams adjust to timezones and pitches.
Match results and key moments
The Ashes latest series produced a 2–1 victory for Australia, with two wins, one loss, and two drawn Tests. The first Test at the WACA in Perth ended in a one‑sided‑win for Australia, as the hosts’ fast‑bowlers exploited the bouncy‑pitch and English‑batting‑decline, leading to a decisive margin of over‑200‑runs. The second‑Test at Adelaide was a day‑night‑marathon, where England briefly threatened to level the series after a 150‑plus‑score from a senior‑bat, but Australia’s tail‑end‑resistance and late‑burst‑bowling‑accuracy kept the scoreboard in favour of the home‑side, ending in a draw.
The third‑Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was a high‑scoring‑thriller, with both teams passing 400 in the first‑innings and a ninth‑wicket‑run‑chase‑drama on the final day, but Australia held on for a narrow‑victory, taking a 2–0‑lead in the series. The fourth‑Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground saw England’s batting‑ revival, with a 300‑plus‑innings and a 10‑wicket‑win, reducing the series‑gap to 2–1. The fifth‑Test at the Gabba in Brisbane was a tense‑drawn‑battle, with both teams bowling‑deep and batting‑resiliently, finishing with the scoreboard‑status‑quo‑of 2–1 in Australia’s‑favour. These moments defined the latest series, with Australia’s consistency in holding leads and England’s occasional‑T20‑style‑batting‑outbursts creating a memorable‑cricket‑arc.
Top performers and standout players
In the Ashes latest series, several players stood out for their performances across batting and bowling. For Australia, the opening‑batsmen and the spin‑captain‑bowler‑duo dominated the scoreboard, with the opener‑averaging over‑60 and the captain‑bowler‑taking over‑20‑wickets, including three‑five‑wicket‑hauls. The pacer‑and‑all‑rounder‑pair‑also delivered crucial‑wickets in both innings, often breaking partnership‑streaks and setting up the Australian‑victory. The wicket‑keeper and a mid‑order‑batting‑hero‑provided key‑extras, with the wicket‑keeper’s 90‑plus‑score in the third‑Test‑draw‑and the mid‑order‑hero’s 120‑plus‑during‑the fourth‑Test‑loss‑for England.
For England, the senior‑opening‑batting‑pair‑showed resilience, with one‑of‑the‑openers‑scoring over‑350‑runs in the series and the other‑contributing with consistent‑top‑scores. The pacer‑batsman‑bowler‑combo‑also delivered, with the pacer‑taking 18‑wickets and the all‑rounder‑hitting three‑half‑centuries, including a 90‑plus‑in the fourth‑Test. The spinner‑and‑bowler‑pair‑were crucial for England’s bowling‑efforts, with the spinner‑taking over‑15‑wickets and the pacer‑batsman‑taking 12‑wickets, including a five‑wicket‑haul in the final‑Test. These players’ performances highlighted the series‑dynamic, with Australia’s‑depth‑of‑bowling and England’s‑batting‑resilience creating a balanced‑yet‑close‑series.
Tactical evolution and team strategies
Tactically, the Ashes latest saw a shift from pure‑pace‑dominance to a more‑balanced‑approach‑with‑spin‑and‑varied‑wicket‑placement. Australia’s selectors emphasized the use of their spin‑captain and the pacer‑batsman‑bowler‑combo, often rotating the bowlers in the first‑innings to wear down the English‑bat and then deploying the spin‑captain‑early in the second‑innings to exploit the tired‑pitch. The home‑side’s batting‑strategy relied on a solid‑top‑three, allowing the middle‑order‑to‑rotate and the tail‑to‑pressurize the bowling, which led to late‑innings‑runs and occasional‑three‑wicket‑scores.
England, on the other hand, adopted a more‑defensive‑approach in the first‑inning, letting the bowling‑dominate while the batsmen‑built partnerships. The visiting‑side’s bowling‑strategy focused on a pacer‑batsman‑bowler‑pair and a spinner, using overs‑rotation and mid‑innings‑breaks to keep the field‑fresh and the batsmen‑on‑their‑toes. The fifth‑Test‑draw‑saw both teams experimenting with unorthodox‑bowling‑placements, including using the spin‑captain‑in the third‑and‑fourth‑innings, and the pacer‑batsman‑bowler‑pair‑in‑the first‑and‑second‑innings, underlining the evolving‑tactical‑landscape of the Ashes.
Atmosphere and fan culture
The atmosphere at the Ashes latest matches was electric, with strong‑support from both sets of fans and a sense of occasion that comes from the rivalry’s long‑history and high‑stakes. The Australian‑crowds, especially at the WACA and the MCG, created a wall of noise that can unnerve visitors, while the British‑fans, often travelling in large‑numbers, brought their own chants and songs, creating a contrasting‑yet‑unified‑celebration of cricket. The traditions of Barmy‑Army‑style‑support and Australian‑beer‑fueled‑cheering added to the intensity, with the crowd‑chants and songs echoing throughout the stadiums.
The seriesalso saw a significant‑YouTube‑and‑social‑mediapresence, with fans uploading match‑day‑vlogs, highlight‑clips, and commentary, which helped spread the Ashes‑culture globally. The official‑crews‑and‑umpires‑also played a role in the atmosphere, with strict‑security‑checks and fair‑play‑rules ensuring a respectful‑yet‑intense‑match‑day‑experience. The Ashes‑latest‑fixtures were also marked by the usual‑pre‑match‑and‑post‑match‑rituals, such as the coin‑toss, the national‑anthems, and the post‑match‑hand‑shakes, all of which added to the ceremonial‑and‑competitive‑feel of the series.
Current Ashes holder and future series
The current Ashes holder is Australia, who won the 2025–26 series 2–1 to reclaim the urn after England’s 2–2 draw in the 2023 series. The 2028 return‑series in England is already being scheduled, with the ICC and the ECB working on the dates and venues, which will likely include the traditional‑grounds like Lords, Old‑Trafford, Edgbaston, and the Oval. The 2028 cycle will be crucial for both teams, with Australia looking to defend their title and England aiming to regain the Ashes in front of home‑fans.
The 2028 series will follow the same five‑match‑format, with each Test‑lasting five days and the teams alternating between home and away‑venues. The ICC and both boards have expressed their commitment to maintaining the Ashes tradition, with a focus on high‑quality‑cricket, fan‑engagement, and media‑coverage. The 2028 fixtures will also include practice‑matches and warm‑up‑games, ensuring that both teams are ready for the high‑pressure‑conditions of the Ashes. The 2025–26 series has set the stage for a new‑cycle, with both teams gearing up for the next‑battle in 2028.
Practical information and planning
For fans planning to attend the Ashes latest live in Australia, practical information about dates, hours, and prices is essential. The series‑matches usually kick off in the afternoon or early evening Australian time, with gates opening roughly 90 minutes before the first‑ball to allow for security checks, merchandise‑purchases, and pre‑match food and drink. Ticket prices vary by location and opponent, but general‑admission and lower‑tier seats can start from around AUD 50–100, with premium and hospitality packages rising into the hundreds of dollars, especially for high‑profile Tests like the Boxing‑Day‑Test at the MCG or the Sydney‑Test.
Transport options depend on the venue: for the WACA in Perth, fans commonly use buses and trains to reach the ground, with the station conveniently located near the stadium; for the Adelaide Oval, the ground is easily reachable by bus and tram, with several stops nearby; the MCG in Melbourne offers multiple train‑lines and trams, while the SCG in Sydney and the Gabba in Brisbane have their own train‑stations and bus‑routes. What to expect on match day includes long queues, stringent security, full stadiums, and intense but generally well‑managed atmospheres, with large numbers of English‑fans in specifically‑allocated sections.
Tips for visitors include buying tickets early through official‑board‑channels, arriving at least two hours before the first‑ball to avoid congestion, and bringing only permitted items in line with stadium security rules. Alcohol is often sold on‑ sites, but consumption is usually restricted to inside the ground, and the atmosphere can be particularly loud and energetic, especially on the final‑day when the Ashes‑outcome is still in the balance. For fans in India or other international locations, streaming platforms and TV broadcasters often carry live‑coverage with commentary, though blackout‑rules may apply in certain regions, so checking the official‑broadcasters’ websites is recommended.
Seasonal and timing section
The Ashes latest series is scheduled during the Australian‑summer, from late‑November to mid‑January, aligning with the peak‑cricket‑season in the country. The 2025–26 cycle took place in the usual‑Ashes‑time‑frame, with the first‑Test in late‑November, the second in early‑December, the third and fourth in the Christmas‑and‑New‑Year‑period, and the fifth in mid‑January. This timing ensures that the Australian‑fans can enjoy the series in the warm‑weather‑months, while the English‑tour‑dates are optimized for international‑travel and time‑zone‑adjustments.
The 2028 return‑series in England will likely follow a similar‑pattern, with the first‑Test in mid‑June, the second in late‑June, the third and fourth in the July‑and‑August‑break, and the fifth in early‑September, creating a long‑and‑intense‑series‑run. The seasonal‑scheduling also takes into account the ICC‑events and the domestic‑cricket‑seasons in both countries, ensuring that the Ashes‑does not clash with other major‑tournaments. The 2025–26 series has set the stage for a new‑cycle, with both teams gearing up for the next‑battle in 2028, and the Australian‑cricket‑board continues to prioritize the Ashes as the pinnacle of international‑cricket‑rivalry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2025-26 Ashes series?
Australia won the series 4–1, winning the matches in Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Sydney. England secured their lone victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
What was the final score of the 5th Test?
Australia won the 5th Test at the SCG by 5 wickets. Australia chased down a target of 161 in their second innings after posting a massive 567 in their first.
Who was the Player of the Series?
Mitchell Starc was named Player of the Series (Compton–Miller Medalist) for his 31 wickets across the five matches, leading the bowling attack with clinical precision.
Where will the 2027 Ashes be held?
The 2027 Ashes series will be hosted by England. The venues typically include historic grounds like Lord’s, The Oval, Edgbaston, Old Trafford, and Headingley.
How many runs did Travis Head score?
Travis Head was the leading run-scorer of the series, accumulating 629 runs. His aggressive batting style was instrumental in setting high totals for Australia.
Who won the Boxing Day Test in 2025?
England won the Boxing Day Test at the MCG by 4 wickets. This was a significant historical milestone, marking their first Test win in Australia since 2011.
Which bowler took a 5-wicket haul at the MCG?
England’s Josh Tongue earned Player of the Match honors at the MCG after taking a career-defining five-wicket haul that dismantled the Australian batting order.
What was the highest attendance of the series?
The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) saw a record-breaking 94,199 fans on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test, the highest single-day attendance of the summer.
Final Thoughts
The 2025-26 Ashes series served as a definitive statement of Australia’s enduring dominance on home soil and a rigorous reality check for England’s “Bazball” philosophy. While England’s historic 4-wicket victory at the MCG provided a glimmer of hope and a reprieve from a potential whitewash, the 4–1 series result underscored the gulf between the two sides in Southern Hemisphere conditions. Australia’s ability to find match-winners in every department—from the lightning-fast spells of Mitchell Starc to the middle-order reliability of Travis Head—ensured that the urn remained firmly in Australian hands.
As the cricketing world looks toward the 2027 Ashes in England, both teams face significant periods of transition. For Australia, the retirement of stalwarts like Usman Khawaja marks the end of an era, forcing the selectors to integrate fresh talent into a high-pressure environment. England, meanwhile, must refine their aggressive tactics to ensure they are sustainable over five Tests against world-class bowling. The rivalry remains the pinnacle of Test cricket, promising another chapter of high-intensity drama when the two nations meet again in the United Kingdom.
To Read More: Manchester Independent