Ashes 2025/2026 thread

[The Pilgrim]

Harry Brook was in trouble before we even got to Australia, out until 2am, incident with a bouncer and then captaining the ODI side 10 hours later.....

Ashes 2025-26: Harry Brook apologises after altercation in New Zealand nightclub

England's Harry Brook apologises after being involved in an altercation with a nightclub bouncer the night before an ODI on the tour of New Zealand that preceded the Ashes.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

It's curious that cricket's drinking culture seems to have survived into the era of sports nutritionists and psychologists. Obviously I don't know anything about the dynamics of long cricket tours but it can't help much in the long run.

 

[Joe Totale]

It's curious that cricket's drinking culture seems to have survived into the era of sports nutritionists and psychologists. Obviously I don't know anything about the dynamics of long cricket tours but it can't help much in the long run.

Cricket is the only sport where you can be away from home and loved ones for months on end. Brook is a good example where he's now off to Sri Lanka for an ODI and T20 series and then it's straight to the World Cup. If England make it to the final which is on the 8th March then they could have been away for 4 months.

With that in mind, mental wellbeing is obviously a factor and being able to put their feet up and have an occasional drink will help, getting sozzled won't though.

 

[Argylegames]

How we do in the next Ashes series depends on finding a few bowlers and at least two new opening batsmen.

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

How we do in the next Ashes series depends on finding a few bowlers and at least two new opening batsmen.

With the bowlers at least, I think it's a problem of tactics as much as personnel.

 

[Frank Butcher]

With the bowlers at least, I think it's a problem of tactics as much as personnel.

Agreed - and discipline.

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

Agreed - and discipline.

'Twas ever thus. I feel like English bowlers have been pitching it a yard too short for my entire life.

 

[Greenscombe]

How we do in the next Ashes series depends on finding a few bowlers and at least two new opening batsmen.

I would disagree. Australia haven't won in England since 2001. Winning away in Test cricket is very hard - not impossible but very hard. We will start as favourites even if there are player changes and I don't think there will be many in either squad in 18 months time. 3 or 4 max in each. England maybe an opener, keeper, spinner and one fast bowler. Australia need an opener and maybe someone at 5 but not much else will change.

 

[Balham Green]

I would disagree. Australia haven't won in England since 2001. Winning away in Test cricket is very hard - not impossible but very hard. We will start as favourites even if there are player changes and I don't think there will be many in either squad in 18 months time. 3 or 4 max in each. England maybe an opener, keeper, spinner and one fast bowler. Australia need an opener and maybe someone at 5 but not much else will change.

Well that's pretty much what he said yet you disagreed. FOUR new players!
I agree I'd stick with Crawley though.
There needs to be accountability from management for getting it so badly wrong and heads should roll, definitely MCallum but I fear he will stay.

 

[Greenscombe]

Well that's pretty much what he said yet you disagreed. FOUR new players!
I agree I'd stick with Crawley though.
There needs to be accountability from management for getting it so badly wrong and heads should roll, definitely MCallum but I fear he will stay.

I think it's Duckett that has enough credit in the bank for now. There are 5 or 6 potential openers that could come in - Haines, Gay, Tribe, Sibley, Hameed, McKinney but I don't think they will change both of them together.
Bethall, Root, Brook (by the skin of his teeth) have the middle order sewn up.
James Rew will get a chance I'm sure. He has too many FC centuries at such a young age to ignore. Although I think in the longer term his younger brother takes the gloves and James plays as a batter. Probably when Root retires, they all move up one.
One of the Ahmed's will be the spinner, depending on what they want in the team, Rehan is the better batter, Farhan the better bowler.

I think the team come June will look something like this:
McKinney
Duckett
Bethell
Root
Brook
Rew (wk)
Stokes
Ahmed (R)
Atkinson
Archer
Tongue

Don't be surprised if McCullum is gone by the summer. It's too close to the T20 WC to axe him now but I think the semi-finals of that is probably the minimum requirement so if it doesn't go well, I'd expect him out come March/April time.

 

[Sun Stonehouse]

Surely if McCullum goes Crawley and Pope will been gone as well. Please!!.

 

[Greenscombe]

Surely if McCullum goes Crawley and Pope will been gone as well. Please!!.

Pope is done already. You could give Crawley another go but all the batters waiting for a chance except Rew are openers so I expect one of those to come in.

 

[Sun Stonehouse]

Pope is done already. You could give Crawley another go but all the batters waiting for a chance except Rew are openers so I expect one of those to come in.

Absolutely no consistency with Crawley whatsoever. The openers are supposed to take the shine off the new ball, not be out within the first over. Yes he scores occasionally but not consistently enough to warrant preservering with surely. Our weakness is not being bloodyminded enough from the outset.

 

[Brussels Bureaucrat]

Absolutely no consistency with Crawley whatsoever. The openers are supposed to take the shine off the new ball, not be out within the first over. Yes he scores occasionally but not consistently enough to warrant preservering with surely. Our weakness is not being bloodyminded enough from the outset.

Absolutely. I can't see that there's any case for keeping him. A latter-day Mark Ramprakash, except that Ramps scored boatloads of runs in domestic cricket.

The thing about picking batsmen based on seemingly on vibes and not a lot else is that it means we now don't have an obvious successor to Stokes. In previous eras there was always someone who was a clear future captain (Strauss is one who springs to mind). Brooks is seemingly the next cab off the rank, but solely because he's the only batter other than Root who's scoring runs consistently.

 

[Greenscombe]

Absolutely. I can't see that there's any case for keeping him. A latter-day Mark Ramprakash, except that Ramps scored boatloads of runs in domestic cricket.

The thing about picking batsmen based on seemingly on vibes and not a lot else is that it means we now don't have an obvious successor to Stokes. In previous eras there was always someone who was a clear future captain (Strauss is one who springs to mind). Brooks is seemingly the next cab off the rank, but solely because he's the only batter other than Root who's scoring runs consistently.

Brook as captain scares the living daylights out of me even in white ball cricket. He may have some talent but seems to be brainless in his actions and comments so far. There are captains coming through but none for the next couple fo years, I'd guess Stokes will pass it on at the end of next summer after the home Ashes. Bethell could be a candidate. James Rew is the 50 over Captain at Somerset so he could be a candidate if he has secured a spot by then.