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The Ashes Begins: Bazball’s Ultimate Test Against Australia in Perth Opener
The most anticipated cricket rivalry in the world resumes today as Australia faces England in the 1st Test of the Ashes series at the Perth Stadium. This opening clash is the culmination of four years of preparation, where Captain Ben Stokes and his team have honed their aggressive ‘Bazball’ philosophy specifically to conquer Australian soil and avenge the humiliating defeat of the 2021-22 series.
Match Details and Series Stakes
| Event | 1st Test, The Ashes 2025-26 |
| Venue | Perth Stadium, Perth |
| Date & Time | Friday, November 21st, 10:20 AM LOCAL (2:20 AM GMT) |
| Stakes | The ultimate psychological battle. England’s defining moment; Australia’s chance to prove their dominance remains. |
The Perth Pitch: A Captain’s Dilemma
Perth Test pitches are known globally for their unique characteristics:
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Early Seam: The pitch usually starts with a green tinge, offering swing and seam movement early.
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Late Spin: The surface inevitably dries out under the harsh sun, developing cracks that bring Nathan Lyon and the spinners heavily into the game late in the match.
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The Stokes Conundrum: Historically, batting first is highly favored in Perth. This creates a fascinating dilemma for Stokes, who usually prefers to bowl first to put immediate pressure on the opposition.
Team News and Key Personnel Changes
Australia (The Hosts)
Australia enters the Test without injured captain Pat Cummins and frontline pacer Josh Hazlewood, forcing two key debuts. Steve Smith takes over the captaincy.
- Debuts: Jake Weatherald earns his Baggy Green to partner Usman Khawaja at the top of the order. Fast bowler Brendan Doggett gets his debut chance to share the new ball with Mitchell Starc.
- Key Returns: Cameron Green slots back in as the genuine all-rounder at number six, bolstering the attack and the middle-order depth.
Predicted 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 (Bazball’s Best Shot)
England’s focus has been on the fitness of pacer Mark Wood and their team composition.
- The Selection Question: Stokes must decide whether to use four specialist quicks (including Brydon Carse) or include a specialist spinner in Shoaib Bashir to take advantage of the late-Test turn, which would likely necessitate batting first.
- The Core: The experienced batting lineup of Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Ben Stokes will be tasked with executing their high-risk, high-reward strategy from the very first ball.
Predicted 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.
Image Credit : cricketnmore
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