The Ashes Returns: Australia vs. England Rivalry Reignites in Perth

Australia and England are set to renew their Ashes rivalry with the 2025 series beginning on November 21 in Perth, but both sides are battling significant injury concerns within their squads, especially among Australia’s fast bowlers.

Australia’s Injury Crisis

Australia will be without captain Pat Cummins for the first Test due to a lumbar bone stress injury, with his return date uncertain.
Fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott are also ruled out of the Perth Test because of hamstring injuries, which further depletes Australia’s pace attack.
Michael Neser has been called into the squad as injury cover, while uncapped Brendan Doggett is firming for a Test debut to fill the void.
Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland are likely to lead the pace bowling department, supported by spinner Nathan Lyon and all-rounder Cameron Green, who has just returned to bowling after injury.

England’s Squad Fitness

England’s fast bowler Mark Wood raised concerns when he walked off during a warm-up match with a hamstring scare, but he has since been cleared to play and is expected to feature in the first Test.
Jofra Archer, who has had frequent injury setbacks in recent years, returns to Australia and is expected to play his first Ashes Test on Australian soil since 2019.
England has loaded up on pace in their Ashes squad, with potential options such as Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, and Brydon Carse joining Wood and Archer.

Series Context

The injury crisis means Australia will field a relatively inexperienced bowling line-up in the opening match, while England, despite having their own concerns, will look to capitalize on Australia’s weakened attack.
Historically, Australia has been dominant at home in the Ashes, and the rivalry promises renewed tension and opportunity for England given Australia’s absences.

Both teams enter the series hopeful for a competitive contest, but the outcome may hinge on how effectively they manage their injury challenges, especially Australia whose experienced bowlers are missing from a crucial opener.

Match Insights: The Australian Crisis

The narrative leading into the Perth Test is dominated by a major injury crisis in the Australian camp, handing England a crucial psychological edge.

Captain Absent: Regular captain and pace spearhead Pat Cummins has been ruled out due to a persistent lower-back injury, with his return targeted for the second Test in Brisbane.
Pace Depleted: Key frontline fast bowler Josh Hazlewood will also miss the opener due to a hamstring strain, compounded by the absence of all-rounder Sean Abbott (hamstring injury).
The Stand-in Skipper: Veteran batsman Steve Smith steps up to lead the side, relying on the experience of Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon to manage an attack now likely featuring Scott Boland and potential debutant Brendan Doggett.

💥 The ‘Bazball’ Challenge

England, led by captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, will see this as the ultimate test of their aggressive, high-tempo “Bazball” philosophy.

Aggression Down Under: The approach, characterized by rapid run-scoring (averaging over 4.5 runs per over), will be under scrutiny on the fast Australian pitches, where England has a historically poor record (no series win since 2010-11).
Pace Threat: England will be banking on their express pace bowlers, Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, to exploit the Perth conditions and put the Australian makeshift attack under pressure.¹⁰
Joe Root’s Goal: Former captain Joe Root, who has never scored an Ashes century in Australia despite his global Test records, will be desperate to convert starts into big scores to provide the necessary backbone for England’s attacking approach.¹¹

📜 History and Rivalry

The rivalry, which dates back to 1882, has seen 73 series played, with Australia currently holding a narrow lead:

All-Time Record	Series Played	Australia Wins	England Wins	Draws
Series	73	34	32	7
Tests	345	142	110	93

The 2023 series ended in a 2-2 draw, with Australia retaining the Urn. The 2025-26 series is part of the ICC World Test Championship cycle, adding a layer of global significance to cricket’s greatest drama.

The stage is set for a gripping opening contest where England’s aggression faces a resilient Australian side, severely hampered by injury but fighting to hold on to the symbol of cricketing supremacy.