The starter pistol on the 2025/26 Ashes series has been well and truly fired with England left to lick their wounds heading into the second Test.
England have not won an Ashes series for a decade but looked on course to win their Test match in Australia since 2010/11, with Ben Stokes’ bowing heroics on day one limiting the Aussies to 132 by Saturday morning, seemingly putting the tourists in control of the match.
That was until a catastrophic afternoon session unfolded, with another innings defined by England’s error-prone batting opening the door to a thrashing at the hands of 69-ball centurion Travis Head. Australia roared back to crush England by eight wickets in just two days, racing to their 205 target in 28.2 overs.
England will now hope to bounce back in the second Test as they head to The Gabba, the famed Brisbane venue where the tourists have failed to win since 1986.
Here’s everything you need to know:
When is the next Ashes Test?
The second Ashes Test will begin on 4 December in Brisbane and could run until 8 December. It will be a day-night match under the lights, with play getting underway at 4:30am GMT each morning.
It will be held at The Gabba, the usual first-Test venue which has hosted every opening Ashes Test for more than 40 years.
Few in the world are as good with the pink ball as Mitchell Starc and Australia will most likely be favourites going into the match in Brisbane.
TV channel and how watch online
The games will not be easy to follow for English fans at home, with much of the action taking place overnight. That said, the second Test in Brisbane will be the easiest to watch from afar, as the day-night game will start at 4.30am each morning.
All the action will be shown live in the UK on TNT Sports. The broadcaster drew some criticism for its plans for the series, which will be helmed by cycling and rugby commentators from a studio in the UK, working alongside a team of on-pitch analysts in Australia, who include Ashes winners Sir Alastair Cook and Graeme Swann.
Ashes 2025/26 schedule
Second Test, Gabba in Brisbane: 4-8 December (4.30am GMT)
Third Test, Adelaide Oval in Adelaide: 17-21 December (12am)
Fourth Test, MCG in Melbourne: 26-30 December (11.30pm, 25 December)
Fifth Test, SCG in Sydney: 4-8 January (11.30pm, 3 January)
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