The Ashes. Just the mere mention of this iconic series evokes passion, tension, and a rivalry that spans centuries. For England, the upcoming trip Down Under represents an opportunity to not only reclaim the tiny urn after more than a decade, but also salvage some long-lost pride on enemy territory.
The English have been repeatedly embarrassed throughout the last three trips to Australia. They have lost 13 of the 15 test matches they have played on Aussie soil, and you have to go back to 2011 for their list victory. Truth be told, the hosts haven’t once looked like losing a single test to their greatest rivals, and the last three series would have all finished in a whitewash had it not been for the weather, with rain and bad light forcing two draws.
As such, it should come as no surprise that England is the massive underdog for the upcoming showdown this winter. The latest betting odds currently price them as a mighty 11/4 outsider, with the Aussies coming in as the hot 4/6 favorites. To put the herculean task into context, an implied probability calculator shows that the English have a slender 26.67% chance of reigning supreme this winter.
With that in mind, Brendon McCullum’s side has plenty of areas for improvement. If they can improve on these points, the probability will surely grow.
The Ashes Series Results in Recent Years
Let’s have a look at who’s dominated the Ashes in the past 10 years:
| Series | Winner | Most Runs | Most Wickets | Player of the Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Drawn (2-2) | Usman Khawaja (496) | Mitchell Starc (23) | Mitchell Starc and Chris Woakes |
| 2021/22 | Australia (4-0) | Travis Head (357) | Pat Cummins (21) | Travis Head |
| 2019 | Drawn (2-2) | Steven Smith (774) | Pat Cummins (29) | Steven Smith and Ben Stokes |
| 2017/18 | Australia (4-0) | Steven Smith (687) | Pat Cummins (23) | Steven Smith |
| 2015 | England (3-2) | Steven Smith (508) | Stuart Broad (21) | Joe Root |
Taking Wickets Against a Ruthless Australian Top Order
If England learned one thing from their last Ashes outing on enemy territory, dismissing Australia’s stacked batting lineup is no easy feat. During the 2021/22 series, the Australians easily piled on the runs, surpassing 400 in an innings on three separate occasions.
What’s more damning is how often Australia outplayed an already struggling England attack. They declared without being bowled out not once or twice, but four times. Essentially, the English bowlers were left chasing shadows as Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, and David Warner dominated.
Those three combined to score a mighty 965 runs between them three years ago, and if England are to upset the odds and secure victory this time, they must find ways to break their momentum.
Cutting down Australia’s penchant for mammoth first-innings scores is vital. Enter Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson. England’s pace options, if healthy, add a completely different dynamic to their attack. Speed and hostility can unsettle even the most technically sound batters, while the potential return to form of a certain Jofra Archer could also strike fear into the Aussies.
Equally, captain Ben Stokes must create aggressive field settings to capitalize on any openings. Punishing loose shots, bowling consistent lines, and ensuring sustained energy across long passages of play are not optional; they’re mandatory.
Because here’s the brutal truth we learned last time—the Australian top order is right at home on flat pitches, and England has to leave them feeling under siege.
Scoring Runs When the Pressure is On
You must match fire with fire to beat Australia in an Ashes series. That means facing the challenge posed by the hosts’ fearsome bowling attack, led by captain Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc.
Unfortunately, England’s record of creating pressure with the bat in the recent Ashes series is abysmal. In fact, they haven’t put any pressure at all; they have crumbled under it.
During the 2021/22 series, the tourists failed to post above 300. Not once. Their highest score, a modest 297, came during a dead rubber in the fourth Test. On the side of aspirations of lifting the urn, that kind of output will not cut it.
Joe Root remains England’s star batsman, but he was forced to anchor innings without meaningful support from anyone else last time around. The Yorkshireman has famously never shone down under, and not one of his 36 test match centuries has come on Australian soil. At the age of 34, this may well be his last trip to the Land Down Under, and it’s now or never if he is to make a meaningful impact on an Aussie-hosted Ashes series.
Fast forward to 2025, and there is some hope. The “Bazball” approach under head coach McCullum and the leadership of Ben Stokes has transformed England into a confident, aggressive batting unit. Players like the aforementioned Root and Stokes and the scintillating Harry Brook can score quickly and turn games around within a session.
But aggression must come with balance. Throwing wickets away needlessly against a bowling attack as clinical as Australia’s is a recipe for disaster. Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett at the top of the order cannot afford to leave Root with too much work.
Partnerships, grit, and the ability to painfully grind runs when the ball is doing the talking should take precedence over flashy heroics. After all, it’s a lesson the Australians have drilled into England repeatedly over the years.
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