Who Must Perform For England If They Are to Regain The Ashes?
Published - 24 Apr 2025, 09:16 PM | Updated - 24 Apr 2025, 11:37 PM
With the recent Champions Trophy now in the rearview mirror, all attention turns to the longest format of the game. This summer, Australia are gunning for a second straight World Test Championship when they meet a rapidly improving South Africa with all the marbles on the line at Lord's. However, no matter how the Baggy Greens fare in that contest, they have an impending clash with their greatest rivals looming on the horizon.
This winter, England will head to the Land Down Under to contest the Ashes series. The storied rivalry is chocked full of iconic moments, spectacular performances, and fierce battles that have left a lasting impression on cricket’s rich tapestry. However, the tourists head to the land of their greatest adversaries later this year with an unwanted record firmly etched in the forefront of their minds.
England hasn't won an Ashes Test on foreign soil in some 14 years. In their last three trips down under, they have lost by a cumulative score of 13-0, but despite that, the bookies still give them a shot at glory later this year. The latest odds from popular crypto betting sites such as https://thunderpick.io/sports still make the English a live 3.75 underdog, with the hosts and reigning champions Australia a 1/50 favorite. People will be keeping a close eye on Thunderpick to see how this unfolds as the time draws near.
If England are to upset the apple cart this year, then their key players will need to perform. But which players in particular will need to be at their absolute best if they are to have any hope of victory?
When it comes to sheer spirit and determination, few can rival Ben Stokes. Remember Headingley in 2019? That miraculous hundred against Australia encapsulates why Stokes is a player for the big occasion. He almost played the exact same innings three years later in a bid to rip victory away from the jaws of defeat once again, but that ultimately ended in a loss. Unfortunately, that's something he's tasted all too often on Australian soil.
However, now, in 2025, Stokes heads Down Under in his immaculate maturity, and he does so as England's fearless leader and captain. Those career-defining performances have shown time and time again that he thrives under pressure. Whether it’s digging England out of a hole with his batting or breaking partnerships with the ball, he’s his country's ultimate game-changer. Now, he needs to do it in the one country where he has failed so far.
Stokes burst onto the scene initially in an Ashes Series on enemy territory, hitting a stunning century in the third test back in 2013/14. That was just his second test match appearance, and since then, his record Down Under is bleak. This year, he finally has the chance to set the record straight, and that is something that he is already chomping at the bit to do.
With almost 13,000 Test runs to his name, Joe Root remains the golden thread in England’s batting lineup. But much like the aforementioned Stokes, he has never truly shone in Australia. The Yorkshire batsman has hit a mighty 36 centuries throughout his storied career, but none of them has come in the Land Down Under. Now, it is time to finally put that right at the fourth time of asking.
His consistency and ability to construct innings against the world’s best bowling attacks provide the platform on which England’s batting thrives. Against the searing pace of Pat Cummins or the relentless line-and-length of Josh Hazlewood, Root’s technique will be critical.
Over the years, the 34-year-old has molded his game to combat all conditions. Be it bouncing back from a tough spell or threading gaps expertly through point and cover, the former captain knows how to mix survival with elegance. And while the performances throughout his stellar tenure in the starting lineup have always been impressive, over the past couple of years, he has taken it to another level.
In 2023, he posted a mighty batting average of 65.58 through eight tests, the second-highest average of his career. Last year, that average dropped slightly to 55.57, but that is nothing to be scoffed at. However, Australia is the land in which he posts his lowest scores and by some distance, averaging just 35.68 across the 12 tests he has featured in. The time is nigh for Root to finally shine in the cauldrons of Australia.
When fit and firing, Jofra Archer is one of the most exciting bowlers in world cricket. When he burst onto the scene in the 2019 Ashes series in England, he did so by taking the fight to perhaps the best batsman on the planet in Australia's Steve Smith. The pair’s battles are still played on highlight reels today, but since then, injuries have taken their toll.
After being named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2020, the Barbados-born star has fallen by the wayside. However, he was recently included in England's squad for last year's ICC T20 World Cup, and now a return to the test arena could be just around the corner.
His comeback to Test cricket has been long-awaited, and his presence in the 2025 Ashes squad could prove to be a pivotal X-factor. Archer’s ability to generate searing pace, combined with pinpoint accuracy, makes him a weapon in any conditions. But in Australia, where the surfaces suit his natural style, he becomes an outright menace.
Archer’s standout performances - often accompanied by those trademark lethal short balls - have already cemented his reputation. Fans still remember his hostile spell against Steve Smith during the 2019 Ashes, a direct contest that swung the momentum of more than one session. After battling injuries in recent years, Archer finally seems ready to resume his role as England’s strike bowler and prove the doubters wrong.
