The Ashes 2025‑26 series has begun with a dramatic start in Perth as Australia dominated England on the opening day of the first Test. England, who elected to bat first after winning the toss, struggled against a relentless Australian pace attack, leaving them in a precarious position by stumps.
England’s Batting Lineup Under Pressure
England’s decision to bat first on a green-tinged Perth pitch was bold, but the plan quickly backfired. Australia’s bowlers exploited the bounce and movement early, taking crucial wickets in quick succession. The English top order found it difficult to settle, with pressure mounting as each over passed.
Despite some resistance from the middle order, England never fully recovered. Key batsmen like Joe Root and Zak Crawley fell cheaply, highlighting the effectiveness of Australia’s seam attack. The early collapse set the tone for the day, leaving England with a steep challenge ahead.
Starc Leads Australia’s Bowling Charge
Mitchell Starc was the standout performer for Australia, showcasing pace, bounce, and accuracy. He picked up multiple wickets, including the prized dismissals of England’s top batsmen, and consistently troubled the batsmen with short and sharp deliveries.
Alongside Starc, other Australian pacers maintained relentless pressure, ensuring England had little opportunity to build partnerships. The combination of experience and raw pace made it one of the most impressive bowling displays in recent Ashes history.
Middle-Order Resistance
England’s middle-order batsmen, including Ollie Pope and Harry Brook, tried to stabilize the innings. Pope played a cautious but steady knock, while Brook counter-attacked when possible. However, Australia’s disciplined bowling never allowed any long partnerships to form, leaving England in trouble as the day ended.
The lack of spin options in England’s lineup also made it difficult to rotate the strike, especially against a fresh and aggressive pace attack that continued to exploit every weakness.
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Australia’s Debutants Shine
Australia fielded a few fresh faces in the lineup, who made their presence felt. The debutants bowled intelligently, held catches under pressure, and supported the more experienced bowlers brilliantly. Even with some key bowlers missing due to injury, the team showed remarkable depth and resilience.
All-rounder Cameron Green contributed with both bat and ball, adding balance to the side and helping Australia dominate day one.
Conditions at Perth Stadium
The pitch in Perth offered bounce and pace, favoring seam bowlers. Cool and breezy conditions allowed bowlers to extract extra movement from the surface, putting England on the back foot from the start. Australia took full advantage of the conditions, using their pace battery to create early breakthroughs.
Implications for the Series
Australia’s commanding start on day one gives them an early psychological and tactical advantage in the series. England will need to regroup and rethink their batting strategy to avoid further collapses in the coming days.
The dominance of pace over spin in these conditions suggests that Australia may continue to rely on their fast bowlers to challenge England, while the visitors must adapt quickly if they are to compete effectively in the Perth Test and the rest of the Ashes series.