The Ashes 2025/26 1st Test line-ups: Australia v England XIs
RadioTimes.com brings you everything you need to know about the XIs for the first Ashes Test in Perth.
Sell-out crowds, including thousands of travelling fans, are expected at the Optus Stadium in Perth for first Test of this winter's much-anticipated Ashes series.
Injuries to Australian captain Pat Cummins and key seamer Josh Hazlewood offer the tourists an opportunity to make a fast start to their search for a first series win down under since 2010/11.
Even so, the size of the task facing Ben Stokes's side cannot be underestimated and is illustrated by the fact that England have not even won a Test in Australia for 15 years.
Scott Boland, who has torn through England on Australian shores before, and debutant Brendan Doggett are in to bolster the hosts' bowling unit while journeyman Jake Weatherald will make his Test bow as Usman Khawaja's partner at the top of the order.
Mark Wood has been passed fit and could be set to line up alongside fellow quick Jofra Archer for just the second time in Test cricket. On the hard and fast pitch at Perth, the tourists are weighing up whether to name an all-seam bowling attack or include Shoaib Bashir.
RadioTimes.com brings you a full round-up of the Australia and England line-ups for the first Ashes 2025/26 Test.
Australia team – 1st Test line-up
Confirmed 1st Test 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 team – 1st Test line-up
Confirmed 1st Test squad
- Ben Stokes (c)
- Jofra Archer
- Gus Atkinson
- Shoaib Bashir
- Harry Brook
- Brydon Carse
- Zak Crawley
- Ben Duckett
- Ollie Pope
- Joe Root
- Jamie Smith (wk)
- Mark Wood
Predicted 1st Test XI
- Zak Crawley
- Ben Duckett
- Ollie Pope
- Joe Root
- Harry Brook
- Ben Stokes (c)
- Jamie Smith (wk)
- Gus Atkinson
- Brydon Carse
- Mark Wood
- Jofra Archer
Australia full Ashes squad 2025/26
Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.
England full Ashes squad 2025/26
Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.
How to watch The Ashes on TV
The Ashes will be shown live on TNT Sports.
There are multiple ways to get TNT Sports. If you already have BT Broadband, you can add TNT Sports to your existing contract from just £18 per month. You can add the ‘Big Sport’ package for £40 per month which includes all TNT Sports and 11 Sky Sports channels via a NOW pass.
You can also access TNT Sports via discovery+ and stream directly to your smart TV.
Live stream The Ashes online
You can watch the Ashes on TNT Sports via discovery+ Premium monthly pass without signing up to a contract.
Regular subscribers can also stream matches on a variety of devices including laptops, smartphones and tablets via the discovery+ app.
discovery+ is the new streaming home of TNT Sports, showing events including live Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Premiership Rugby, UFC, Boxing and MotoGP. Learn more here: discoveryplus.com
TNT Sports and discovery+ have exclusive live TV coverage of the Ashes, which can also be watched through Amazon Prime Video, while fans can listen to every ball of the series via Test Match Special on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra.
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