The 2025-26 Ashes Series has begun, and after a dramatic first test in Perth, the action now moves to Brisbane.
England head to the Gabba after missing a golden opportunity in what could be their worst collapse in Ashes history. And trust us, there have been plenty.
The tourists were in complete control after dismissing Australia for 132 in their first innings at Optus Stadium, taking a 40-run lead.
At lunch on day 2, England sat at 59/1, with Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope both looking set to post big scores. Then everything fell apart.
Yet Another English Collapse In Ashes 1st Test 2025
As soon as the afternoon session got underway, within four overs, England went from 59/1 to 76/5, with both Duckett and Pope dismissed, as well as Joe Root and Harry Brook.
Four overs later, captain Ben Stokes was sent packing, and the tourists were in deep trouble. They ultimately capitulated to a disastrous 164 all out, setting the hosts just 204 to win.
Led by the blistering shot-making of Travis Head, the Aussies chased down that total with a minimum of fuss, romping to an eight-wicket victory and leaving England in disarray ahead of the upcoming schedule.
In the days since that Perth disaster, the betting odds have spoken, and they don’t make for pretty reading for Brendan McCullum’s men.
Violent Odds Shift For Ashes Tests
Heading into the series opener in Perth, online betting sites considered England a live 11/5 underdog to reclaim the urn, with the hosting Australians considered an even-money favorite to retain.
Since that beatdown at Optus Stadium, the popular Bodog betting site has pushed England all the way out to 5/1 to mount the comeback, while the Aussies are now 1/4 frontrunners.
Looking at how England have responded to their first collapse in a series, it’s clear why the bookies have responded by making them huge underdogs.
England Ashes Records — Complete Overview
The Ashes rivalry, dating back to 1882, reveals a pattern of dominance and struggle that continues to define cricket’s greatest contest.
| Category | England | Australia |
|---|---|---|
| Total Series Played | 73 | 73 |
| Series Wins | 32 | 34 |
| Series Drawn | 7 | 7 |
| Home Series Win % | ~60% | ~70% |
| Away Series Win % | ~15% | ~40% |
While competitive at home, England’s away record in Australia has been historically poor, particularly in the modern era.
Australia has won 140 Ashes Tests compared to England’s 108 victories from 340 matches played.
England’s Top Ashes Run-Scorers (All-Time)
| Player | Runs | Matches | Ashes Average | Test Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Hobbs | 3,636 | 41 | 54.26 | 1907-1930 |
| David Gower | 3,037 | 42 | 44.78 | 1978-1991 |
| Wally Hammond | 2,852 | 33 | 51.85 | 1928-1947 |
| Herbert Sutcliffe | 2,741 | 27 | 66.85 | 1924-1934 |
| JH Endrich | 2,644 | 32 | 41.09 | 2013-2025 |
| Joe Root | 2,497+ | 36+ | 45.40+ | 2013-present |
Finally scoring his maiden Test century in Australia at the age of 34 after 12 years of trying, Root has now moved into elite territory, chasing down Jack Hobbs’ long-standing record of 3,636 runs.
England’s Top Ashes Wicket-Takers (All-Time)
| Bowler | Wickets | Span | Best Figures | Ashes Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuart Broad | 153 | 2009-2023 | 6/50 | 31.18 |
| Ian Botham | 128 | 1977-1989 | 6/78 | 30.21 |
| Bob Willis | 123 | 1971-1983 | 8/43 | 26.14 |
| James Anderson | 117 | 2003-2023 | 5/43 | 35.97 |
| W Rhodes | 109 | 1899-1926 | 8/68 | 24.00 |
| SF Barnes | 106 | 1901-1912 | 7/60 | 21.58 |
Stuart Broad retired as England’s most prolific Ashes bowler after the 2023 series, taking 22 wickets in his final campaign.
James Anderson, with 704 Test wickets overall (the most by any fast bowler), concluded his international career in 2024 as England’s greatest wicket-taker but fell short of Broad’s Ashes tally.
England’s Worst Collapse Records
England’s tendency to collapse spectacularly has become one of the most frustrating patterns in Ashes history.
These batting implosions have cost them numerous series and created psychological scars that span generations.
Lowest Totals in Ashes History
- 45 all out – Sydney, 1887 (England’s lowest Ashes score)
- 52 all out – The Oval, 1948
- 53 all out – Lord’s, 1888
- 62 all out – Lord’s, 1888
- 61 all out – Melbourne, 1904
England’s recent lowest total came in Melbourne, 2021, when they only scored 68 runs in the third innings, and they lost the match by an inning and 14 runs.
England’s Ashes Records In Australia
England’s struggles in Australia have become legendary, with the team unable to win a Test match on Australian soil since January 2011 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
This 17-test winless streak (15 losses, two draws) equals their worst run in Australia and represents one of the longest droughts for any team touring a specific country.
Last Away Series Win
2010-11 Ashes Series (3-1 victory) – England’s last triumph in Australia came under Andrew Strauss’ captaincy.
Alastair Cook was the standout performer with 766 runs in the series, including a magnificent 235* at the Gabba.
James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Tremlett, and Tim Bresnan all contributed with the ball, and England’s balanced attack overwhelmed Australia across the series.
Most Consecutive Losses In Australia
15 consecutive Test losses in Australia since January 2011. Here are the details of all 15 losses:
| Date | Ground | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 3-7, 2011 | Sydney | Won | innings & 83 runs |
| Dec 4-7, 2025 | Brisbane | Lost | 8 wickets |
| Nov 21-22, 2025 | Perth | Lost | 8 wickets |
| Jan 14-16, 2022 | Hobart | Lost | 146 runs |
| Jan 5-9, 2022 | Sydney | Drawn | – |
| Dec 26-28, 2021 | Melbourne | Lost | innings & 14 runs |
| Dec 16-20, 2021 | Adelaide | Lost | 275 runs |
| Dec 8-11, 2021 | Brisbane | Lost | 9 wickets |
| Jan 4-8, 2018 | Sydney | Lost | innings & 123 runs |
| Dec 26-30, 2017 | Melbourne | Drawn | – |
| Dec 14-18, 2017 | W.A.C.A | Lost | innings & 41 runs |
| Dec 2-6, 2017 | Adelaide | Lost | 120 runs |
| Nov 23-27, 2017 | Brisbane | Lost | 10 wickets |
| Jan 3-5, 2014 | Sydney | Lost | 281 runs |
| Dec 26-29, 2013 | Melbourne | Lost | 8 wickets |
| Dec 13-17, 2013 | W.A.C.A | Lost | 150 runs |
| Dec 5-9, 2013 | Adelaide | Lost | 218 runs |
| Nov 21-24, 2013 | Brisbane | Lost | 381 runs |
Statistics:
- Average margin of defeat: 176 runs (or innings-based equivalent)
- Worst defeat: 381 runs (Brisbane 2013)
- Only drawn 2 Tests in this period
Best Wins Down Under (Since 2000)
| Rank | Date | Ground | Result | Scorecard Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 3-7, 2011 | Sydney | Won by innings & 83 runs | Cook 189 – Last win in Australia |
| 2 | Dec 26-29, 2010 | Melbourne | Won by innings & 157 runs | Dominant performance |
| 3 | Dec 3-7, 2010 | Adelaide | Won by innings & 71 runs | Cook 148 |
| 4 | Dec 26-30, 2002 | Melbourne | Won by 5 wickets | Successful chase |
| 5 | Jan 2-6, 2003 | Sydney | Won by 225 runs | Series sealed |
Worst Defeats in Australia Since 2000
| Rank | Date | Ground | Result | Margin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nov 21-24, 2013 | Brisbane | Lost | 381 runs | Worst defeat in Australia |
| 2 | Jan 3-5, 2014 | Sydney | Lost | 281 runs | Whitewash completed |
| 3 | Dec 16-20, 2021 | Adelaide | Lost | 275 runs | Day-night Test |
| 4 | Dec 5-9, 2013 | Adelaide | Lost | 218 runs | – |
| 5 | Dec 13-17, 2013 | W.A.C.A | Lost | 150 runs | – |
Notable Collapses
- Melbourne 2021: All out for 68 in first innings
- Brisbane 2013: Lost by 381 runs – England’s worst-ever defeat in Australia
- Hobart 2022: Match over in just 2 days and 2 sessions
Overall:
- Total Tests: 189 in Australia
- Australia wins: 93
- England wins: 54
- Draws: 42
Win Percentage:
- Australia: 49.2%
- England: 28.6%
- Draw: 22.2%
England’s most successful Australian tour in recent memory (2010-11) came when their batsmen scored heavily, with multiple players averaging over 50.
In contrast, recent tours have seen batting averages plummet, with no regular batsman averaging above 35 in the 2021-22 series.
2021 – England Fall Apart In Brisbane Before Being Utterly Destroyed In Adelaide
The 2021/22 series started poorly. England won the toss in Brisbane, elected to bat, and were dismissed for just 147.
Australia responded with 425, with Travis Head outscoring England’s entire batting lineup.
In Adelaide, Australia, posted 473/9 declared. England managed 236 in response, then faced a target of 467 after Australia added 230 runs in 60 overs.
England were bowled out for 192, with no batsman scoring more than 34 runs. They lost the series 4-0.
2017 – Adelaide Fightback Suffers A Familiar Fate
England were competitive in the first test at the Gabba in 2017. Steve Smith’s 141 not out gave Australia a 26-run lead, but England had hopes of victory.
Instead, they collapsed to 195 all out, with Australia chasing down the target without losing a wicket.
In Adelaide, England needed 353 to win after bowling Australia out for 138. At 169/3 with Joe Root and Dawid Malan batting, England looked capable.
Then the collapse came – their final seven wickets fell for 64 runs. They lost the series 4-0.
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FAQs
Australian pitches offer more pace and bounce than English conditions. English batsmen often play away from their bodies, producing edges. The hostile atmosphere and historical pattern create mental pressure.
England last won an Ashes series in Australia in 2010-11 (3-1). Their last Test win in Australia was on January 7, 2011, at Sydney. Since then: 17 Tests without a win (15 losses, 2 draws).
Jack Hobbs holds the runs record (3,636 runs at 54.26). Stuart Broad is the leading wicket-taker (153 wickets at 31.18). Herbert Sutcliffe has the best batting average (66.85) and Fred Trueman the best bowling average (22.80) among players with significant appearances.
England has never achieved a 5-0 whitewash of Australia in a modern Test series. Australia has whitewashed England 5-0 twice: 2006-07 and 2013-14.
England’s biggest win is an innings and 579 runs at The Oval in 1938. Len Hutton scored 364, and England declared at 903/7. The biggest win: an innings and 157 runs at Melbourne 2010-11.
Root had never scored a Test century in Australia before 2025-26, despite four previous tours. He achieved this in Brisbane 2025-26 with 135*, his first century after facing 2,213 deliveries across multiple tours.
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