Ben Stokes unsure on tour down under in 2028/29 - 'I will always give absolutely everything' - Ashes updates
Updated 08/01/2026 at 04:33 GMT
England have avoided a series whitewash against Australia in the Ashes, and we round up all the latest news and reaction. England's hopes of claiming a series win were ended after an 82-run defeat in Adelaide, but pride was restored in Melbourne. You can watch and stream the action from the NRMA Insurance men’s Ashes - with the Sydney Test now underway - live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
Highlights: Bethell's superb century keeps England hopes alive
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England's hopes of winning the 2025/26 NRMA Insurance men’s Ashes series against Australia were ended following their defeat in the third Test in Adelaide.
Ben Stokes' tourists were defeated by 82 runs to leave Brendon McCullum's side merely playing for pride.
Some of that pride was restored courtesy of a dramatic four-wicket victory in the fourth Test in Melbourne.
The fifth and final Test went the home side's way with a five-wicket success.
All the drama unfolded live on TNT Sports and discovery+, and keep up with all the latest news from the series below.
Stokes coy on Australia return in 28/29
England slipped to a five-wicket defeat in the final NRMA Insurance men’s Ashes series Test, and focus is already shifting to the future.
The next Ashes series in Australia is not until 2028. England skipper Ben Stokes was asked on TNT Sports whether he fancied a shot at winning down under, and he was non-committal.
"Four years, it will be 28/29," Stokes said. "I wish I was 28/29.
"All I can do, and all I do do, is work very, very hard to go out there and give myself the best chance of performing for the team.
"I will always give absolutely everything and part of being a sportsman is putting yourself through the wringer and you do sometimes get injured, but it is not through a lack of effort."
Stokes picked up an injury in the final Test, and said his preparation was extremely good.
"I know I turned up here in very good physical condition and gave myself the best chance to get through five Tests," Stokes said. "Unfortunately, that wasn't the case."
Stokes suffers injury on Day 4 of fifth Test
England captain Ben Stokes looks unlikely to bowl on the final day of the Ashes series after suffering a groin injury.
Stokes pulled up during his second over on Day 4 and left the field to be assessed.
He returned to bat later in the day but only lasted five balls before being dismissed.
A statement from England read: "Ben Stokes is currently being assessed for a right adductor complaint. We will provide an update when more information is available."
England finished Day 4 on 302-8, leading by 119 after Jacob Bethell's superb maiden Test century.
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‘Does not look good’ - Stokes limps off injured in middle of an over
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Bethell said the signs "don’t bode well" for Stokes bowling in Australia’s second innings.
"I don't know the exact injury, but he's moving pretty gingerly," Bethell said.
"I haven't had time to chat to him properly yet. When he was out in the middle, he said he would be walking, that there wouldn't be one unless it was a long one.
"I don't think that bodes too well for him bowling tomorrow."
Bethell: 'Tired' England still driven after tough day
The physical and mental demands of a long Ashes campaign are beginning to show for England, but Jacob Bethell insists his side's resolve remains intact as the series reaches its conclusion in Sydney.
After five relentless Tests, England find themselves under pressure once again, with Australia taking control of the final match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Steve Smith brought up his first century of the series, while Travis Head continued his fine form with a third hundred, capitalising on England's dropped catches to help the hosts establish a 134-run lead by the close of day three.
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England dropped chances the 'story of their tour'
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Despite the mounting fatigue, Bethell was clear that the challenge is one the squad expected and has embraced. Speaking at the close of play, he said: "This is proper Test cricket now. In terms of the graft you have to put in, it was a tough day, but that's what it's about.
"Everyone's still very driven to leave Australia (at) 3-2. That's the main thing that's keeping everyone fighting hard.
"I think all the guys that have played the full five Tests will be tired, mentally and physically, but that's what comes with a five-match series.
"Any Ashes Test, you want to put your best foot forward. They'll be tired, but the guys have done it before and know how to deal with it."
Root eyeing next Ashes series in Australia
Joe Root is refusing to rule himself out of England’s next Ashes series in Australia in 2029/30.
The 35-year-old is England’s all-time leading run-scorer, but he has never won an Ashes tour Down Under.
However, his ability at the crease does not appear to be in decline after he notched the 41st century of his career in the fifth and final Test of the 2025/26 tour in Sydney.
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Root reaches 150 in 'remarkable knock' to help England produce 'sensational score'
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Should he earn a call-up when the next away series rolls around in four years, Root will turn 39 while in Australia, but it doesn’t sound like his age will be a deterring factor.
"One thing I always try and look at is opportunity," said Root, at the close of play on Day 2 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. "I don't know how many opportunities I'm going to get to come back to Australia."
"Who knows? We'll see. I'd love to. We'll see how things unfold in time."
Root’s second ton of the series brought him level with Ricky Ponting for the most Test centuries in history, leaving him trailing just Jacques Kalis (45) and Sachin Tendulkar (51).
Martyn ‘progressing well’
Damien Martyn has been the subject of a positive medical update.
The former Australia batter was placed in an induced coma after being diagnosed with meningitis.
He was taken to hospital late last month after falling ill. Martyn remains under medical care at a Gold Coast hospital, but his family has provided an update.
"Damien is progressing well with his medical treatment," a statement released to the Courier Mail said. "We would like to thank everyone for the incredible outpouring of support our family has received.
"We also want to express our deepest appreciation to the medical team at Gold Coast University Hospital who have been nothing short of amazing throughout this challenging time.
"This has been a trying time and the family ask that you respect their privacy."
Smith defends Khawaja after first Test criticism
Steve Smith has dismissed any suggestions that Usman Khawaja's preparation for the first Ashes Test in Perth was inadequate.
The 39-year-old batter, who has announced he will retire from international cricket following the Ashes series, missed the opening match with an injury.
And in a recent press conference Khawaja hit out at sections of the press for what he deemed to be unfair criticism.
Asked about those comments, stand-in captain Smith said: "I’m not going into the mind of Usman Khawaja. He’s had a great career.
"In terms of preparation, I think he’s always prepared the same way. He’s worked hard. Some of the stuff around him getting injured when he played golf the day before the game, that was unfair.
"I think he’s done that for 15 years and had a pretty good career. On an odd occasion where he prepared the same way he got injured, it’s pretty unfair to single that out. To the rest of it, I can’t really say too much on that, that’s Usman’s views."
Khawaja announces retirement after fifth Ashes Test
Usman Khawaja has announced he will retire from international cricket after the fifth Ashes Test against England in Sydney.
The batter turned 39 last month, and will play his 88th and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the last Ashes test.
It is fitting that Khawaja will bow out at the SCG, where he debuted for Australia in 2011 in the Ashes.
"I’m here to announce today that I will be retiring from all international cricket after the SCG Test match," Khawaja told reporters at the ground.
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Usman Khawaja takes the applause after making 82 in the third Ashes Test in Adelaide
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"God through cricket has given me far more than I could have imagine. He’s given me memories I’ll carry forever, friendship that goes well beyond the game, and lessons that shaped me, who I am, off the field.
"But no career belongs to one person. I obviously had a lot of help. To my parents, thank you for your sacrifices that never made the highlights reel."
Khawaja has scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.39 for Australia.
'I'm not sure we will see Wood again' - Broad
Former England cricketer Stuart Broad thinks Mark Wood's international career is over.
The fast bowler featured in the first Ashes Test in Perth after eight months out after knee surgery. However, he was then ruled out of the rest of the series through injury.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Broad said: "I'm not sure we will see Wood again in an England shirt, unfortunately.
"He's tried absolutely everything but it's three years of pain throughout his body now."
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Watch: Hostile Wood delivery clatters into Green's helmet
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Broad also spoke of how he thinks Josh Tongue should have been utilised more during this series.
"He was the Player of the Match in Melbourne and you look now and think did England miss a trick not playing him, certainly at The Gabba and maybe even at Optus Stadium in the first Test?
"He exposes a full length, has got Steve Smith out three times in Test cricket and twice in county cricket, and bowls with a slightly different angle - wider of the crease, but can move the ball away."
MCG pitch deemed 'unsatisfactory'
The ICC have declared as "unsatisfactory" the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch for the fourth Test of the Ashes series, which ended inside two days and saw England enjoying their first success of the tour.
MCG head curator Matt Page has been widely criticised for the deck, which had 10mm of grass on it, and left batsmen from both sides struggling with seam movement as the Boxing Day Test lasted less than 142 overs.
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Duckett will feel ‘relief’ after Melbourne win following video-criticism ‘trauma’ - Prior
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The punishment for the surface is a demerit point, which will last for five years. If a ground receives six during this time period, it is suspended from hosting international cricket.
ICC Elite Panel Match Referee, Jeff Crowe, delivered the judgment, saying in a statement: "The MCG pitch was too much in favour of the bowlers.
"With 20 wickets falling on the first day, 16 on the second day and no batter even reaching a half-century, the pitch was ‘Unsatisfactory’ as per the guidelines and the venue gets one demerit point."
The premature end to the Test is estimated to have cost Cricket Australia $10 million (£5 million) with 90,000 expected to attend the Test on the third day.
Cricket Australia’s Chief of Cricket James Allsopp conceded the surface was not up to scratch. "The pitch did not provide the MCG’s customary balance between bat and ball," Allsopp said.
Root: 'Silly' to change management after Ashes defeat
Joe Root has delivered a clear message in the aftermath of England's Ashes defeat: changing the leadership now would be "silly".
Despite losing the first three Tests in Australia, Root insists the players remain fully behind captain Ben Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key, pointing to tangible progress under their stewardship.
"In terms of the playing group, we’re absolutely committed to the management," Root said. "Yes, we can be better and there are certain areas that we'll continue to keep working at, but that management work extremely hard… I think we’ve made great strides as a group and a big reason for it is because of the guys we have behind us."
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'It required bravery and courage' - Root says England showed a new set of skills in fourth Test
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England's emphatic win in the fourth Test in Melbourne, which ended an 18-match winless streak in Australia stretching back to 2011, offered timely evidence of that improvement.
Root, who captained England during the bleak 2021-22 tour and later stood down as skipper, contrasted the current setup with the past.
"You look at the group of players we've got and you look at the guys that were involved in the team when I was captain, four years ago, and you look at their records individually, and every single one of them has improved as a player," he said.
"This team has improved. I think it would be silly for the amount of hard work and things that have been done [to make a change]."
Two days shy of his 35th birthday, and with the future tours uncertain, Root remains focused firmly on the present. "I try not to do too many regrets," he added. "I think you've got to look forward… That starts with Sydney, and then we'll go from there."
Watch and stream top cricket action, including the 2025/26 Ashes series, live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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