Ashes FAQ: Do England really have a chance?

As the oldest rivalry in cricket (yes, we are deliberately overlooking USA vs Canada) the Ashes is always a big deal. But the 2025-26 series has been amped up to what feels like a new level - and this despite England's woeful record in Australia, which reads P15 W0 L13 over their last three tours of the country.

There are a number of factors at play. Foremost is the style of cricket England have adopted - dubbed "Bazball" by one of ESPNcricinfo's own - and the sense that they will come and have a go in a manner than few English teams in Australia have managed this century. There is also the hangover from the last Ashes, in England in 2023, which ended 2-2 but sparked all sorts of back-and-forth over "moral victories" and who really came out on top.

No, but they did come back from 2-0 down, and were arguably only denied victory in the series by rain in Manchester. But let's not go over all that again. England have been planning for the next campaign down under ever since, and have assembled what might be their fastest-ever bowling attack in a bid to win in Australia for the first time since 2010-11.

Not on the face of it, given England have rarely even come close to winning a Test in the (Un)Lucky Country in the intervening period - and have particularly painful memories of a grueling visit, wreathed in Covid regulations, in 2021-22. Australia, meanwhile, have won five of their last seven Test series, including four in a row, and last experienced defeat in India in 2022-23. At home, they haven't been beaten since 2020-21 (again by India). They also reached the final of the World Test Championship, although lost out on the mace to South Africa.

You guessed it. But Australia, who have picked a squad with only one player under the age of 30, are in the rare position of having significant question marks over their XI. Notably, it looks like they will field a debutant opener, while the man at the other end, Usman Khawaja, might be on borrowed time. They have also been beset by untimely injuries: captain, Pat Cummins, will miss the first Test as he continues to rehab from a back stress reaction, while another of Australia's "Big Three" seam attack, Josh Hazlewood, is out with a hamstring strain.

On paper, yes, although Scott Boland (Test bowling average in Australia: 12.63) is a more than capable back-up for Cummins, while Brendan Doggett, another likely debutant, has both form and pedigree after his long wait for a baggy green. Steven Smith won't miss a beat as stand-in captain, either. Whether this is the "worst Australia side since 2010-11" is up for debate, but their selection quandaries have certainly added to the intrigue around the build-up.

As daft as ever, and impossible to get away from. But at least it's almost time to take out the trash talk.

Well, Australian pitches have certainly made for entertaining viewing over recent seasons and might help level the playing field. Whether England have brought the right attack for the conditions is another debate.

They do arrive with the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked Test batters, Joe Root and Harry Brook (the latter for the first major Test of his supreme away record), as well as a fit Ben Stokes, after a shoulder tear sustained during the English summer. They've been lucky with injuries (so far), with Mark Wood surviving his own hamstring-knack scare over the weekend. And the only major talking point around their batting order - the identity of No. 3 - was put to bed during the warm-up game against England Lions by Ollie Pope making scores of 100 and 90.

At least until the wheels fall off. The series starts in Perth, where England have only ever won once (at the old WACA Ground) - with Optus Stadium hosting an Ashes Test for the first time. Then it's on to the pink-ball day-night game at the Gabba in Brisbane, followed by Adelaide, which last hosted England for a daytime Test in 2013-14. If the Ashes are still alive come the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, we should have a series on our hands.

Let's see. It's certainly their best shot in a long while. At the very least, it's to be hoped that England won't have conceded the contest inside 12 days' cricket.

Regardless of whether England can be competitive/win a Test/not suffer complete embarrassment, let's hope that Root finally scores a hundred on Australia soil. Otherwise Matthew Hayden's middle stump is going for a walk - and not in the good way.