England have not won a first Ashes Test in Australia in nearly 40 years, nor beaten the hosts in Perth since 1978.
Surrey seamer Matthew Fisher has been added to the squad and will link up with the group this week, having been in Australia with the England Lions.
England aim to seal Super Eights qualification against T20 World Cup debutants Italy at Eden Gardens, as the historic football rivalry adds spice to their Group C clash.
Captain Ben Stokes brushed off concerns about England's Ashes preparations on Wednesday, saying there was no way the squad could prepare in the same way touring teams of the past had, given the demands of the modern game.
New Zealand, led by Mitchell Santner, look to seal a T20 World Cup semi-final berth as their spin attack prepares to challenge Harry Brook's England in a crucial Super Eight clash in Colombo.
Batters Jamie Smith and Jordan Cox have been axed while seamer Saqib Mahmood could not retain his place either.
England captain Ben Stokes was forced off the field because of injury on Day 4 of the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia on Wednesday.
England and Pakistan lock horns in a crucial T20 World Cup Super Eights clash in Pallekele, as Brook's side eye momentum while Pakistan seek comeback.
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title. The 10th edition of the 20-overs global showpiece event will run from February 7 to March 8.
India face a tough spin challenge from England in the T20 World Cup semi-final at Wankhede Stadium, as both teams aim for a perfect game in the high-pressure knockout.
England spinners seal Sri Lanka series sweep ahead of T20 World Cup
England and Sri Lanka prepare for a crucial Super Eight match in the T20 World Cup, with spin bowling expected to play a key role. England aims to replicate their recent series win in Sri Lanka, while the hosts seek to capitalize on home advantage.
England called up spinner Shoaib Bashir and seamer Matthew Potts for the final Ashes Test against Australia beginning on Sunday with one of them set to fill the void created by Gus Atkinson's injury-induced absence.
England will be heading into the T20 World Cup with a massive confidence boost following a series win across both white-ball formats in Sri Lanka under captaincy of young Harry Brook, who has switched his side's fortunes since taking over.
Tournament co-hosts India will be out to defend their Twenty20 World Cup title in familiar home conditions next month.
England faces Nepal in their T20 World Cup opener, hoping to shift focus from off-field issues surrounding captain Harry Brook. Nepal aims to make an impact after a strong showing in the previous edition.
Spin-bowling all-rounder Will Jacks will replace paceman Mark Wood in an otherwise unchanged England side for the second Ashes Test against Australia in Brisbane.
England must look to stamp their authority on the Ashes series in Australia early or risk succumbing to yet another defeat Down Under, former England bowler Stuart Broad has warned.
IMAGES from Day 1 of the 1st Ashes Test played in Perth on Friday.
In vintage Bumrah fashion, the damage was quiet but clinical and unmistakably game-changing.
England's Joe Root conquered his final frontier with a first Ashes century in Australia as the tourists pushed past 300 on day one of the second Test in Brisbane on Thursday despite a six-wicket haul from pace spearhead Mitchell Starc.
England 'quietly confident' heading into Ashes series, says Wood
Four-Test-old all-rounder Jacob Bethell was awarded his maiden central contract by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) which offered two-year deals to 14 multi-format cricketers, including Test captain Ben Stokes and injury-plagued pacer Jofra Archer.
Taking his 17th Test five-wicket haul, he finished with 7 for 58 off 12.5 overs.
'The tailenders should have looked to bat with Jamie Smith. Really poor from the batters towards the end. The plan should have been to give him the strike and let him do the heavy lifting.'
'I'm worried. We're going to wander in and have a little game with the 'A' team. (It will be) 'Alright mate, how are you? Good on ya' and we're going to go and perform?'
England on Tuesday named a 16-man squad for the Ashes series starting in Australia in November with Ben Stokes, who is currently nursing a shoulder injury, set to return to lead the side.
'It is the biggest stage and it is the brightest lights. It is a series that could define teams, the people and players within it.'
Bazball is in the firing line, with former players and pundits decrying the high-risk game on Australia's spicy pitches.
Traditionally carved from top-quality willow, famous bat-makers, source the bulk of their willow wood from Kashmir.
Starc further commented that Doggett could handle the pressure of the Ashes series, as he seemed to be the third pacer in Australia's attack.
Their last eight Tests in Perth have all been defeats, with the most recent setback a bitter innings and 41-run capitulation in 2017 that saw Joe Root's team surrender the urn.
Since going missing from red-ball action in 2021, the 30-year-old endured a period during which injuries constantly plagued him, especially a recurring stress fracture in his right elbow.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction saw some foreign names earning big bucks, headlined by Aussie all-rounder Cameron Green
Scott Boland will step up and uncapped Brendan Doggett is tipped for a high-stakes debut to try to shore up the loss of a combined 604 Test wickets of experience.
Jacob Bethell has represented England in 29 matches across all formats and will lead the team in the absence of the regular Test players.
The T20I series against South Africa will be played from 10-14 September, following the ongoing ODI series where the Proteas hold an unassailable 2-0 lead heading into the final match on Sunday.
The second Test begins on Thursday, with a third and final Test scheduled at Birmingham starting on July 26.
England fast bowler Mark Wood has been ruled out of the Test series against Sri Lanka due to a thigh injury.
Wood has so far played two matches in the ongoing series
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances