Australia vs England, 1st Test - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

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Each of the five previous Tests at Perth Stadium have been won by the side batting first and the lowest winning margin being 146 runs.

The last time Australia have had two debutantes aged 30+ in a Test was way back in Wellington in March 1946.

So as expected given the stats at this venue, both sides wanted to bat first. The trend here has been that there's pace and bounce on offer for the seamers but as the match progresses, the Perth heat dries up the surface and the cracks eventually open up. However, having said all that, the temperatures are going to be quite pleasant throughout the course of this Test at Perth. So, the pitch might hold together in a better way.

Australia (Playing XI): Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith(c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey(w), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland

England (Playing XI): Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes(c), Jamie Smith(w), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood

Steven Smith: I would have had a bat as well. Hopefully it seams all over the place this morning. I think the cracks will come into play, they seem to every year. That was probably the rationale behind batting first. If we get the ball in the right areas this morning, there’ll definitely be enough in it. Obviously they’re big losses (Cummins and Hazlewood), but we’ve got to deal with what we’ve got. We’ve still got a couple of quality performers. Scott Boland, every time he’s had an opportunity, he’s been outstanding. And Brendan Doggett’s been amazing in Shield cricket for the last few years; he fully deserves this opportunity. I’m looking forward to seeing those guys go about their business today. (Is he working on his coin toss?) A bit better than last week, wasn’t it? (*laughs*) Unfortunately it landed on the wrong side, but at least we got it in the air this time.

Ben Stokes: We’re going to have a bat. (Was it a tough decision?) You take in as much information as you can, especially at a venue that doesn’t host a lot of cricket. We’ll try to get some runs on the board and see where we are at the end of it. It’s been a long build-up, as it always is before an Ashes series. Now that we’re finally here, the whole group - players, support staff, and I’m sure all our fans out here feel exactly the same. We can’t wait to get going. As always, a lot of hard work, determination, everything that goes into preparing for a big tour. We’ve got a clear goal of what we want to achieve out here. From the 12 we named, Bash misses out. We’re going with four seamers, and of course I’ll roll my arm over now and again. It was just about waiting. Me and Baz like to take our time with selection, making sure all discussions are had and we’re going with the right feel. That’s the team we've decided on. Really excited (to see Wood and Archer together). Woody’s had a bit of time out with injury but he’s over that now; he’s worked incredibly hard for a long period. He’s absolutely raring to go, and so are Joff and the rest of the lads this week.

And so the stage is set at Optus Stadium in Perth - a venue where every Test so far has been won by the side batting first. A fast, bouncy wicket, a roaring sell-out crowd, and a rivalry older than memory itself - everything is primed for a blockbuster opening act. On that note, welcome to our coverage of The Ashes! This is Abhinav Guha greeting you all on behalf of Akshay Maanay. Buckle up, because we are about to get rolling...

The last time England toured Australia for the Ashes in 2021-22, they were hammered 4-0. Since then, they have reinvented themselves with Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes dictating terms in the Bazball era. It’s an approach that is not just "crash, bang, wallop" but there’s a certain method to it. Playing positive and proactive cricket is at the helm of Bazball. The fact that they have a strong batting lineup and a fiery pace attack augurs well for them. England have named a 12-man squad with the toss up likely to be between Wood and Bashir. Going for an all-out pace attack on a conducive surface remains a tempting proposition for them. The Bazball approach has brought them success on certain occasions but the Ashes Down Under will be a different ball-game altogether. The fact that they have had a torrid time in their last three tours to Australia might also play on their minds.

Australia have been a force to reckon with in Tests in recent times. The hosts have won five of their last seven Test series, including four in a row. They are undefeated in their last six series at home. They also made it to the WTC final but were defeated by South Africa. There are a few concerns this time though. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have been ruled out of the first Test due to a back injury and a hamstring injury respectively. The hosts have already named their playing XI. There are two 31-year-old debutants in opening batter Jake Weatherald and seamer Brendan Doggett. Labuschagne has been recalled into the side owing to his terrific domestic form and he will bat at No. 3. Cam Green drops down to No. 6 and is expected to play a crucial role with both bat and ball. There’s an air of uncertainty around the hosts and the visitors will want to capitalise on that.

The 2023 Ashes served up quite a number of iconic and dramatic moments which are worth reminiscing about: Ben Stokes’ aggressive declaration on Day 1 of the Edgbaston Test on a slowish surface; The match-winning ninth wicket 55-run stand between Cummins and Lyon in the first Test enabling Australia to bury the ghosts of 2005 at Edgbaston; Lyon walking out to bat at Lord’s with a torn calf muscle – him batting on one leg was a real testament to his sheer commitment to the team; Bairstow’s controversial stumping on the last ball of an over when he ventured out of his crease after ducking and Carey hit the stumps; The Lord’s Long Room getting unruly. Khawaja and Warner being confronted by spectators in the Long Room which was a dramatic event indeed; Stuart Broad’s old bail-switch trick worked and that eventually led England to a series-levelling win in the fifth Test as the English legend bid adieu to cricket.

This is the rivalry which is a celebration of cricket in the true sense! In this rivalry, both teams want to be at the top of their game, both teams want to seize the crunch moments, both teams don’t want to lose. This rivalry tests the mettle as well as the character of both teams. This rivalry gives individuals the opportunity to emerge as heroes and get their names etched in the Hall of Fame in their country’s cricketing folklore. The 2023 Ashes lived up to the billing – Australia took a 2-0 lead but almost lost the series due to a terrific fightback from England. The series ended in a 2-2 stalemate. England were hard done by rain playing spoilsport in Manchester.

There’s hardly any other event in red-ball cricket that can match the buzz and excitement of the Ashes. The build-up to an Ashes series always pops up in the limelight – there’s a history of mind-games doing the rounds from both sides. After all, to gain an edge over the opposition, you need to think on your toes and catch them by surprise. Well, there are a few pre-series banter that have taken centre-stage – Stuart Broad has declared Australia’s team as the worst they have rolled out since 2010-11; Monty Panesar mentioned that England should reignite the Sandpaper-gate during the Ashes as he specifically targeted Smith. Perhaps those comments might fuel Australia’s stand-in skipper to get into his elements with the bat.

08:50 Local Time, 00:50 GMT, 06:20 IST: In affectionate memory of English cricket, which died at the Oval in August, 1882. The body will now be cremated and the Ashes will be taken to Australia. That satirical obituary printed in a London newspaper after England’s shock defeat to Australia lit the spark of what would go on to become cricket's greatest rivalry. Flash forward to 2025, and it is this rivalry that captures the imagination and stirs passions across the globe like nothing else in the red-ball arena.

Preview by Bharat Sundaresan

It all now comes down to one final question. Can England finish their story?

Four years ago, England left these shores not simply having lost another Ashes series. They had lost their spirit, and some might say even their dignity as a Test team. It was simply that bad. It was simply that humiliating. In some ways, they had been laid flat along with Rory Burns' leg stump pretty much after the first delivery of the series in Brisbane.

And they lay there on the mat staring at the ceiling for the next seven or so weeks as Australia ran roughshod over them. Knocked out and pummelled into submission.

Having hit rock bottom, it's from the ashes of that 2021-22 Ashes debacle that England embraced an attitude adjustment before establishing a new world order as a Test team. That was the birth of what is commonly referred to as Bazball. While there's been a lot said and written about England's transformation from that point on, everything that's transpired in the interim has sort of felt a bit incidental in the bigger picture. For, through every spectacular win and equally sensational loss that's resulted from England's gung-ho approach ever since, the focus for Ben Stokes and his team has always seemed to centre around whether their new finishing move would work on Australian soil.

Not only to make up for the embarrassment from four years ago, but to avenge it. To give Australia a dose of their own medicine. To win back their dignity. To get back their pride. And to ultimately get their hands on the urn. This is their Wrestlemania Main Event. It all comes down to this. For if Australia manage to kick out of this and find a way to be triumphant again, then you wonder if there's anything left in the English arsenal.

Every Ashes series has its own dramatic build-up, a lot of promos cut from fans and experts of both countries. But maybe because of how different this England team comes across in terms of both their aura and their freakish performances in the last three-and-a-half years, there's a unique vibe this time around. Like England actually have the firepower to not just knock the Aussies off their feet on home soil, but to even keep them there for the count.

You can feel it in the way the Australian fans and even the former players are talking them up. You can also witness it with the palpably massive interest that surrounds this particular Ashes. Like we truly are on the cusp of an iconic series, even before the first ball's been bowled.

That sense of belief among the English faithful is accentuated by the fact that around 40,000 English fans have descended upon the city of Perth, which has officially run out of hotel rooms. With all your traditional hotel booking websites saying "99 per cent of their properties had been sold out" even two weeks out from the first Test. It's the same with ticket sales at Perth Stadium, with no tickets available for the first three days of this game at a venue which has never quite filled up every seat for a Test match.

With Australia having lost both Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood for the first Test, there's even additional significance to this opening Test with England now with their best chance to take an early lead in an away Ashes series.

But in classic Stokes' fashion he wasn't ready to buy too much into the overimportance laid on this Ashes when it came to how it could define the legacy of his Test team. When asked if this Ashes series was indeed a culmination or if it was more a monumental destination for his Bazballing team, Stokes chose to play it down.

"I understand what the series means in my journey as England captain. It's certainly the biggest series that I will lead the side in. I'm aware of that, Brendon's aware of that as coach, Rob Key is aware of that in his role as well. For me personally, it's not going to detract from what I've given to my role as England captain. It's been three-and-a-half years, a lot of time and effort put into this role, something I've thoroughly enjoyed. I wake up every morning loving what I do, because it's the greatest honour in English cricket to lead this team out. But by no means does that mean that I'm not desperate to be an Ashes winner."

Or in other words, a team desperate to finish its story.

When: Australia v England, 1st Ashes Test, November 21, 2025, 10:20 hrs Local Time, 13:20 hrs AEDT, 07:50 hrs IST

Where: Perth Stadium, Perth

What to expect: The Test pitches in Perth have generated immense interest for decades, firstly at the WACA and even more so at the Perth Stadium. While it always does start off with a green tinge on top, there's also enough moisture that needs to be left on top by curator Isaac Mcdonald to ensure that the harsh Perth sun doesn't dry it out too quickly for then cracks to start making an appearance, which it does inevitably, and is one of the reasons why Nathan Lyon has such good numbers here. The next few days aren't expected to be as hot as last summer, when the surface did get baked significantly. But as history suggests, batting first is the way to go here, even for Stokes, it would mean going against his own principles. Making it an even more intriguing prospect than it already is.

Team News

Australia

It's been firming up to be Jake Weatherald's moment of glory for a few weeks now, and especially after he was picked in the squad for the first Test. And he will be the one partnering Usman Khawaja as the latest Test opener for Australia. Meanwhile, sharing the new ball should be the other 31-year-old on debut, Brendan Doggett, who gets his long-awaited chance to get his Baggy Green. That also means Marnus Labuschagne is back at his normal position of No 3 and Cameron Green returns to No 6 to play as the genuine all-rounder.

Playing XI: Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett

England

While the main scrutiny within the English camp has been around Mark Wood's fitness, the only question that now remains is if they go with the spinner in Shoaib Bashir, to possibly use the deteriorating pitch late in the Test, which would force Stokes to bat first if he wins the toss, or if they stick with a five-man pace attack that will include Brydon Carse. Maybe it is purely a case of them wanting to see the look of the pitch once on the morning of the Test before taking that call.

Probable XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse/Shoaib Bashir, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer

Australia (playing XI) : Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Brendan Doggett, Scott Boland

England Squad: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes(c), Jamie Smith(w), Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Matthew Potts, Josh Tongue, Will Jacks