The Australia vs England first Ashes Test 2025/26 kicks off on November 21 at Perth Stadium – and cricket fans, this could be the explosive start that sets the tone for one of the greatest Ashes series ever! For the first time in history, the Ashes opens in Western Australia instead of Brisbane, bringing raw pace, extra bounce, and high drama to the famous Perth conditions right from ball one.
Australia, the current urn holders, are wounded without Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood but still dangerous at home. England arrive with Bazball fire, a fully loaded pace battery featuring Jofra Archer and Mark Wood at 150kph+, and a burning desire to win their first Test series in Australia since 2011.
This Australia vs England first Ashes Test 2025/26 preview covers everything: confirmed teams, debutants, pitch behaviour, 5-day weather, key battles, historical stats in tables, and our final prediction. Let’s dive in!
1. Match Details & Broadcast – Australia vs England First Ashes Test 2025
2. Perth Stadium Pitch Report & 5-Day Weather Forecast for Australia vs England First Ashes Test 2025/26
Head curator Isaac McDonald has promised classic Perth characteristics: hard, fast, bouncy with 9mm grass cover. He started preparation a day early to keep moisture right and ensure pace and carry from Day 1. Cracks may open later, bringing spinners (especially Nathan Lyon) into play from Day 3-4.
- Similar to last year’s India Test: 17 wickets on Day 1 to seam, then flattened.
- McDonald: “Pace and bounce will be prominent – low and slow is just not possible here.”
5-Day Weather Forecast (Perth, November 21-25, 2025)
| Day | Date | Conditions | High (°C) | Low (°C) | Rain Chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Fri 21 Nov | Mostly sunny | 27 | 16 | 0% |
| Day 2 | Sat 22 Nov | Possible shower | 25 | 16 | 20-30% |
| Day 3 | Sun 23 Nov | Shower or two | 22 | 15 | 40% |
| Day 4 | Mon 24 Nov | Partly cloudy | 21 | 14 | 10% |
| Day 5 | Tue 25 Nov | Partly cloudy | 23 | 12 | 5% |
Cooler than usual Perth summers – perfect for fast bowlers, less fatigue!
3. Perth Stadium Test Records & Stats (Updated November 2025)
| Category | Record/Stat |
|---|---|
| Tests Played | 5 |
| Australia Record | 4 wins, 1 loss (to India 2024/25) |
| England Record | Never played a Test here |
| Toss Wins = Match Wins | 100% (all 5 captains batted first and won) |
| Average 1st Innings Score | 308 |
| Highest Team Total | 598/4d (Aus vs WI, 2022) |
| Pace Wickets | 134 @ 27.82 (SR 55.3) |
| Spin Wickets | 40 @ 34.42 (SR 66.7) |
| Most Runs | Marnus Labuschagne – 524 @ 74.85 |
| Most Wickets | Nathan Lyon – 29 @ 20.86 |
All five previous Tests decided by 140+ runs – no draws!
4. Australia Team News – Double Debutants & Injury Crisis in First Ashes Test 2025/26
Australia face their biggest pace crisis in a decade – Pat Cummins (back) and Josh Hazlewood (hamstring) both OUT. Stand-in captain Steve Smith confirmed the XI on November 20 with two debutants:
- Jake Weatherald (opener, 31 years old)
- Brendan Doggett (fast bowler, Indigenous Australian – historic with Scott Boland as first all-Indigenous pace pair)
Marnus Labuschagne returns after five Shield centuries. Cameron Green bowls again, squeezing out Beau Webster.
Australia 14-Man Squad (First Test)
| Player | Role | Key Note |
|---|---|---|
| Steve Smith (c) | Batter/Captain | Leading in Cummins’ absence |
| Usman Khawaja | Opener | Solid vs new ball |
| Jake Weatherald | Opener (Debut) | Aggressive left-hander |
| Marnus Labuschagne | No.3 | 5 centuries this Shield season |
| Travis Head | Middle-order | Counter-attacking genius |
| Cameron Green | All-rounder | Back bowling full pace |
| Alex Carey (wk) | Wicket-keeper | Sharp behind stumps |
| Mitchell Starc | Left-arm fast | Lone senior pacer |
| Nathan Lyon | Off-spinner | 29 wickets @20 here – venue king |
| Scott Boland | Seam bowler | Hat-trick hero last Test |
| Brendan Doggett | Fast bowler (Debut) | 48 wickets in 2025 |
| Michael Neser | Seam bowling all-rounder (cover) | Experienced back-up |
| Josh Inglis | Reserve keeper-batter | |
| Beau Webster | All-rounder | Unlucky omission |
5. England Team News – Pace Attack Fully Loaded for Australia vs England First Ashes Test 2025/26
Ben Stokes’ men have their dream pace battery FIT and firing:
- Jofra Archer – first Test in Australia since 2019
- Mark Wood – cleared after hamstring scare, “absolutely rapid” in nets
- Gus Atkinson & Brydon Carse – reliable workhorses
Decision: All-pace attack (Archer, Wood, Atkinson, Carse + Stokes) or include Shoaib Bashir? Likely all-seam if bowling first.
Ollie Pope holds No.3 after warm-up century. Joe Root hunts maiden Australian Test hundred.
England 12-Man Group for Perth
| Player | Role | Key Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ben Stokes (c) | Captain/All-rounder | Fourth seamer option |
| Harry Brook (vc) | Batter | Test avg 57+ |
| Zak Crawley | Opener | Loves pace-on |
| Ben Duckett | Opener | Aggressive vs new ball |
| Ollie Pope | No.3 | Warm-up century |
| Joe Root | No.4 | 13,543 runs, 2nd all-time |
| Jofra Archer | Express pace | Managed comeback complete |
| Mark Wood | Express pace | 150kph+ ready |
| Gus Atkinson | Seam | Consistent performer |
| Brydon Carse | Seam | Durable |
| Jamie Smith (wk) | Keeper-batter | Rising star |
| Shoaib Bashir | Off-spinner | Likely 12th man |
6. Confirmed XIs & Tactical Breakdown
Australia Confirmed XI (announced Nov 20)
- Usman Khawaja
- Jake Weatherald (debut)
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Steve Smith (c)
- Travis Head
- Cameron Green
- Alex Carey (wk)
- Mitchell Starc
- Nathan Lyon
- Brendan Doggett (debut)
- Scott Boland
England Likely XI (all-pace probable)
- Ben Duckett
- Zak Crawley
- Ollie Pope
- Joe Root
- Harry Brook
- Ben Stokes (c)
- Jamie Smith (wk)
- Gus Atkinson
- Brydon Carse
- Jofra Archer
- Mark Wood (Shoaib Bashir 12th man)
Tactical note: England tempted to unleash four express quicks on bouncy track. Australia rely on Starc swing + Boland accuracy + Lyon bounce.
7. 10 Must-Watch Player Battles in Australia vs England First Ashes Test 2025/26
- Jofra Archer vs Jake Weatherald – Debutant vs 150kph thunder on bounce
- Mark Wood vs Usman Khawaja – Raw speed vs experienced left-hander
- Mitchell Starc vs Ben Duckett – Swing vs aggressive sweep
- Nathan Lyon vs Joe Root – Perth king (29 wkts) vs England’s best
- Scott Boland vs Zak Crawley – Relentless line vs tall opener
- Brendan Doggett vs Harry Brook – Debutant fire vs Brook’s 57 avg
- Cameron Green vs Ben Stokes – All-rounder duel
- Travis Head vs short-ball barrage – Counter-punch master
- Steve Smith vs England pace quartet – 3417 Ashes runs @56
- Jamie Smith (wk) vs Lyon bounce – New keeper test
8. Head-to-Head Record & Recent Form
| Category | Australia | England |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Ashes | 152 wins | 112 wins (97 draws) |
| In Australia | Dominant | Last win 2011 |
| Last 10 Years | 14 wins | 7 wins (4 draws) |
| Recent Form (Last 10 Tests) | WWWLWWWWDW | LDWLWWLWWL |
Australia unbeaten in last 4 home Ashes series.
9. Why Toss & Batting First is Everything in Perth
100% of toss winners batted first → 100% won the match. Average Day 1 wickets: high early seam, then flattens.
10. Expert Prediction & Verdict for Australia vs England First Ashes Test 2025/26
Despite injuries, Australia’s venue knowledge + Lyon + batting depth make them 55% favourites. If Smith wins toss and bats – Australia win by 150+ runs. If England bowl first with four quicks – could be carnage!
Final Call: Australia to take 1-0 lead in a thriller finishing inside 4 days.
Ashes 2025-26 Ultimate Preview Guide.
Quick Hits on Australia vs England First Ashes Test 2025/26
Who is making their Test debut? Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett for Australia.
What time does play start in UK? 2:20 AM GMT.
Will there be spin or all-pace for England? Likely all-pace with Archer & Wood.
Perth Stadium pitch report 2025? Fast, bouncy, 9mm grass – favours quicks early.
Who is missing for Australia? Pat Cummins & Josh Hazlewood injured.
Stay tuned to IPL Star for ball-by-ball updates – the Ashes fire starts now! 🏏🔥
FAQs – Australia vs England First Ashes Test 2025/26
1. When and where is the Australia vs England First Ashes Test 2025/26 being played? The first Test of the 2025/26 Ashes series starts on Friday, 21 November 2025 at Perth Stadium (Optus Stadium) in Perth, Western Australia. It is a day game with play beginning at 10:20 AM local time (1:20 PM AEDT / 2:20 AM GMT) and runs until 25 November 2025.
2. Who is debuting for Australia in the First Ashes Test 2025 in Perth? Australia have named two debutants: opener Jake Weatherald (South Australia) and fast bowler Brendan Doggett (Queensland). This is the first time since the 2010/11 Sydney Test that Australia have handed out two Baggy Greens in an Ashes match. Doggett and Scott Boland also become the first all-Indigenous Australian pace pair in Test history.
3. Why are Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood missing the Perth Ashes Test 2025? Captain Pat Cummins is still recovering from a lumbar back stress injury, while Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out with a hamstring strain suffered in the Sheffield Shield. This is the first time in over ten years that Australia will be without both premier fast bowlers in a home Test.
4. What is Australia’s confirmed playing XI for the First Ashes Test 2025/26? Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald (debut), Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett (debut), Scott Boland. Steve Smith leads the side in Cummins’ absence.
5. Will Jofra Archer and Mark Wood both play together in the Perth Ashes Test 2025? Yes – both are fit and named in England’s 12-man group. England are strongly considering an all-pace attack featuring Archer, Wood, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Ben Stokes as the fourth seamer on the fast, bouncy Perth pitch.
6. What is the Perth Stadium pitch report for the 2025 Ashes First Test? Curator Isaac McDonald has prepared a typical hard, fast Perth surface with 9 mm grass cover. Expect significant pace and bounce on Days 1-2 (similar to the 17 seam wickets on Day 1 vs India last summer), before easing and potentially cracking later. Spinners like Nathan Lyon (29 wickets @ 20.86 here) come into play from Day 3.
7. What TV channel is showing the Australia vs England First Ashes Test 2025/26? In Australia: Channel Seven & 7plus (free-to-air), Fox Cricket & Kayo Sports (4K & ad-free during play). In the UK & Ireland: TNT Sports. Radio: ABC Sport, Triple M, SEN (Aus) and BBC Test Match Special (UK) – all available delay-free worldwide via the CA Live app.
8. Has any team ever won batting second at Perth Stadium in Test cricket? No – in all five previous Tests at Perth Stadium, the team winning the toss has batted first and gone on to win the match (100% record). The toss could be decisive again.
9. Who is favourite to win the First Ashes Test 2025/26 in Perth? Despite missing Cummins and Hazlewood, Australia remain slight favourites (55-60%) because of their unbeaten home Ashes record since 2011, Nathan Lyon’s dominance at the venue, and strong top-order batting. Australia vs England first Ashes Test 2025/26 However, England’s express-pace attack makes this the most open Perth Test in years.
10. What time does play start for the Ashes 2025 First Test in UK and India? Australia vs England first Ashes Test 2025/26 UK & Ireland: 2:20 AM GMT India: 7:50 AM IST Sessions: 2:20–4:20 AM, 5:00–7:00 AM, 7:20–9:20 AM GMT (approx.).