Ashes 2025-26: England’s bowling options analysed — finding the perfect balance between experience, pace, and control for Australian conditions.
As the shadows extend over the Australian summer, the Optus Stadium in Perth prepares for the Ashes 2025-26 opener on November 21, just over a week away. For England, under the courageous leadership of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, the mantra remains clear and simple- speed thrills.
England’s last Test victory in the red-ball format in Australia came in the first week of January 2011. Since then, they have faced 13 defeats in 15 encounters and drawn only two games, out of which rain spoiled the Sydney thriller in 2022. Their Ashes 2025-26 squad has a strong ‘cartel’ of pacers led by enigmatic Jofra Archer and Mark Wood.
However, maintaining consistency over seven weeks down under will be draining both mentally and physically. For that, rotation will be key in keeping the pacers fresh.
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Let’s try to find out how England’s best bowling combination for Ashes 2025-26 pans out.
Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, and Brydon Carse likely to start in Perth along with Shoaib Bashir
England’s batting line-up is nearly settled unless a last-minute injury breaks their rhythm. Openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett will come with aggression, along with Ollie Pope’s flair at number three. Joe Root, at number four, will be the glue of their batting department.
Harry Brook who averages 57.55 in Tests will come in at number five. Ben Stokes will come in next and inject balance into the eleven. Wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith can take care of the tail with his fiery yet smart batting. However, this Ashes series, like the previous ones, will also be decided by the superior bowling side.
For the curtain raiser, Perth will produce exaggerated bounce where the pacers can hurry the batters on the back foot. Last year, during the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, 17 wickets fell on the first day. The curator of the ground, Isaac McDonald, is reportedly keen to replicate a similar surface against Stokes’ army.
It will be a no-brainer for England’s management to pick both Jofra Archer and Mark Wood for the opening clash. Afterall, they won’t want to make a mistake similar to the one they made in the Brisbane Test of Ashes 2021-22, where they left out their premier pacers James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Both Archer and Wood have the pace and intensity to come hard against a depleted Australia batting line-up.
England can slot Brydon Carse at number eight in the line-up. In that case, they will have seven proper batters and four proper bowlers. Stokes’ bowling will always be valuable for the visitors, irrespective of the condition. Carse was decent with the bat against India in their home summer. The right-handed batter has overall recorded 258 runs in 13 innings at an average of 23.45 with one fifty.
With Shoaib Bashir being the only premier spinner of the squad, England have put all eggs in one basket. They will bet on rotation to sustain pressure across the five Tests.
But on Perth’s bouncy surface, Bashir will be crucial. He has collected 68 wickets to be England’s leading Test wicket-taker since the beginning of 2024. Moreover, Australia have potentially four left-handed batters in the top seven. Bashir’s role will be vital against them, especially in the second innings.
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England can bring Gus Atkinson for Brisbane’s D/N Test with Joe Root rolling his arms
After the scheduled end of the opening Perth Test, England will get a full week’s break before the day-night affair at the Gabba in Brisbane. Under humid conditions and artificial lights, the pacers can get swing with the pink ball. In that situation, England can leave out Bashir and bring Gus Atkinson in the eleven. Atkinson has bagged 63 red-ball wickets for England in 25 innings at an average of 22.01 since the beginning of 2024.
Premier pacers Archer and Wood are expected to retain their spot in the eleven, given the week-long rest after the Perth Test. The latter picked up 6/37 in England’s previous day-night Test down under at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart during the Ashes 2021-22.
If the visitors need some overs of spin in Brisbane, Root can roll his arms. If the management wants, they can also bring Josh Tongue for the day-night fixture in place of Carse. Tongue and Atkinson have the skill to pick up wickets with the new ball before Archer and Wood employ their mastery with the old ball.
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England need to be careful with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood’s fitness
Adelaide, which will host the third Test, will be dry and helpful for Bashir’s return to the eleven. Matthew Potts can come into the equation as England will be tempted to rest their frontline quicks before the Boxing Day Test.
Going into the Melbourne Test, the variable deck under the sun will produce an acid test for the Australia batters against fired-up Archer and Wood.
England’s 3-1 masterclass under Andrew Strauss in 2010-11 rested on Anderson’s 24 wickets, thanks to late swing at nearly 145 kmph speed. Subsequently, Chris Tremlett and Steven Finn contributed 31 wickets between them with vicious bounce.
This time around, Stokes’ army has two pacers, Wood and Archer, who could breathe fire with 150 kmph+ speed on a continuous basis. The only chink in their armour will be the return of players from respective injuries, and that’s where the role of the management becomes critical. The opening clash of the Ashes 2025-26 begins on November 21 at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
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