As Australia and England gear up for the all-important Ashes Test series 2025-26, verbal battles from former players and experts of both sides have picked up pace.
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Former England captain Michael Vaughan has now ignited a debate as he has questioned the standard of batting by the Australian red-ball side.
Has Australia's batting standards dropped? Vaughan questions Aussies ahead of the Ashes
Known for his hilarious remarks and subtle digs, the former English skipper Michael Vaughan has once again sparked up a debate by questioning Australia's batting standards.
While Australia has been one of the most dominant Test sides, their batting in the red-ball format has seen a dip in consistency recently.
A few of Australia's Test hopefuls failed in the ongoing domestic Sheffield Shield, including Sam Konstas, whose Ashes hopes further dimmed as he lasted for just four balls against Scott Boland.
The Aussies' batting failures presented the former Englishmen with a great chance to take a dig at the side ahead of the marquee series starting next month.
"Genuine question .. Are Sheffield shield pitches average for batting on, or is the Kookaburra ball doing so much more these days, or has the standard of Aussie batting dropped hugely?" said Vaughan on his X account.
Since David Warner retired from the longest format, the side has failed to find a settled opening combination. However, they still made it to the most recent WTC Final but lost to South Africa.
Genuine question .. Are Sheffield shield pitches average for batting on or is the Kookaburra ball doing so much more these days or has the standard of Aussie batting dropped hugely ?? #Ashes
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) October 15, 2025
With the Ashes 2025 starting this November, the batting lineup would be under pressure to pile up runs against a confident English attack.
When is the Ashes 2025 starting?
The Ashes Test series between England and Australia will commence on November 21st in Perth. Let's look into the full schedule for the marquee series.
| Fixture | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| AUS vs ENG 1st Test | Nov 21-25 | Perth Stadium |
| AUS vs ENG 2nd Test (D/N) | Dec 4-8 | The Gabba, Brisbane |
| AUS vs ENG 3rd Test | Dec 17-21 | Adelaide Oval |
| AUS vs ENG 4th Test | Dec 26-30 | Melbourne Cricket Ground |
| AUS vs ENG 5th Test | Jan 4-8 | Sydney Cricket Ground |
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