The Ashes 2025-26: Three Things England Should Do to Bounce Back at the Gabba

England got bamboozled in under 2 days in the first Ashes Test at the Optus Stadium in Perth. It was a terrible effort from the visitors, particularly with the bat, wherein they couldn’t cross the 200-run mark in either innings. Travis Head, the opener, came out of the syllabus for England in the second innings and took the game away from them just like that. An 8-wicket defeat proved heavy for the visitors, and their confidence must have been shattered to a great extent.

What should England do to revive their Ashes campaign? How can the visitors bounce back at the Gabba in Brisbane after a shaky start to the series? These are the questions that will dominate discussions as the second Test approaches. The Gabba has historically been a fortress for the Aussies, but it also presents an opportunity for England to reset their campaign. To secure their first win of this Ashes Test series, the visitors must focus on the following three crucial aspects:

Pacers need to prepare for the last dance

The second Test of Ashes 2025-26 is staged at the Gabba in Brisbane, and it’s a day-night pink ball Test. The Pink ball has been thoroughly used in Australia, and the Aussies are familiar with playing the day-night Tests. For England to have the last dance with the pink ball, it is not only essential but also a dire need for their pacers to step up.

The pink ball is known for its swing, especially under the lights. During the twilight period, the ball does a lot, and pacers not only get swing but also generate good bounce and carry through to the wicket-keeper. With names like Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, and Brydon Carse up their sleeves, the English pacers have enough firepower to ruffle the feathers of Australian batters at the Gabba.

The Middle Order needs to fine-tune against a quality pace attack

In the last game at Perth, only Harry Brook showed some resilience, amalgamated with some stroke play in the middle order for the visitors. The rest of the batters looked puzzled against the pace of Mitchell Starc, who took a 10-fer in the match, including his career-best figures of 7 for 58 in the first innings.

England’s middle order, led by Joe Root, should step up in this game and show some resilience against the Pink ball. Root, who himself had a terrible outing in Perth, should play responsibly and trust his technique to deliver in a day-night Test. Besides Root, the likes of Ollie Pope and skipper Ben Stokes should come to the party and flourish in the best interest of the team.

Being smart should be the key, not rushing for ‘Bazball’

After being down and out in Perth, should England stick to their fearless ‘Bazball’ approach or look to play according to the situation? Well, ever since Brendon McCullum took the role of the head coach, the English batters have changed their approach as they look to go after the bowlers from the word ‘go.’ However, this approach has come under scrutiny more often than not, particularly after England failed to make it to the World Test Championship final not even once.

The England cricket board is preparing flat wickets back home in a quest to encourage ‘Bazball,’ but the team is failing game after game when they aren’t playing in familiar conditions. The approach couldn’t stand tall when the surface is supportive for the bowlers, something we witnessed at Perth. Therefore, playing according to the situation has often been the approach used in Test cricket for ages. It should be interesting to see what approach the visitors opt for at Gabba, particularly when they are one down in the Ashes series.

FAQ’s

What is the current scoreline of The Ashes 2025-26?

The current scoreline of The Ashes 2025-26 stands at 1-0 in favor of the hosts, Australia.

When is the 2nd Test of the Ashes 2025-26?

The second Test will be played from December 4.

Where will the second Test be played?

The Gabba in Brisbane will play host to the second Ashes Test, which will be a day-night game played with the Pink ball.

What are the timings of the 2nd Test?

The local time for the second Ashes Test will be 2 PM. Indian viewers can catch the action live from 9:30 AM as per the Indian Standard Time (IST).

Where to watch The Ashes 2025-26 live in India?

The TV viewers can watch the action live on Star Sports 1 and 3 channels. The online live streaming will be available on the JioHotstar app.

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