England's preparation for the crucial 2025/26 Ashes series in Australia is in full swing, moving away from immediate white-ball commitments and focusing intensely on red-ball readiness.
With Australia's first Test beginning in Perth on November 21, the ECB has meticulously planned a multi-stage approach designed to peak their key players just in time for the challenge Down Under.
The strategy involves targeted conditioning camps, minimal but intense warm-up fixtures, and selective match participation for key fast bowlers.
When does the team go to Australia
The bulk of the England Test squad is set to travel to Australia in early November, following the conclusion of the limited-overs tour of New Zealand.
📲 Follow AllSportsPeople on WhatsApp
According to the announced tour schedule, the main Ashes squad will assemble in Perth in the second week of November.
This is scheduled to allow the players a week to acclimatise and adjust to Australian conditions before the first Test gets underway at Perth Stadium from November 21 to 25.
This relatively short window between arrival and the first Test has drawn criticism from some former players, including Lord Ian Botham, who suggested the preparation "borders on arrogance."
Warm-up games
England's preparation on Australian soil will be a highly controlled affair, prioritising intensity over volume.
The schedule includes just one three-day warm-up contest against the travelling England Lions side at Lilac Hill in Perth (November 13-15).
Following this, the main Test squad will not face any further major warm-up games against a full-strength Australian XI before the first Test begins.
The Lions squad will remain in Australia to play a four-day match against a Cricket Australia XI and another against Australia A concurrently with the first two Tests, providing competitive red-ball match practice for those not in the starting XI.
Hot tents in Loughborough
A vital, behind-the-scenes element of the preparation involves specialised conditioning camps held in the UK before departure.
Key fast bowlers, including captain Ben Stokes, Mark Wood, and Josh Tongue, have been undergoing intensive preparation at the ECB Performance Centre at Loughborough University in mid-October.
Reports indicate the fast bowlers were training in heated outdoor nets at Loughborough, simulating the high temperatures they will face in Perth and Brisbane.
This specialised preparation is aimed at getting bowlers like Wood, who missed the English summer following knee surgery, up to match fitness without risking them in competitive white-ball fixtures.
ODI tour of New Zealand
The white-ball tour of New Zealand in October is serving as a final competitive fitness run, but it is being used selectively to manage key players ahead of the Ashes.
The tour schedule consists of three T20Is (England currently lead 1-0 after the first was rained off) followed by three ODIs.
Crucially, several core Ashes players, including Mark Wood and Josh Tongue, are being rested for the ODIs to instead focus on bowling workloads for the Tests.
Instead, the ODI squad features white-ball specialists and T20 World Cup hopefuls like Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell, allowing the Test specialists to manage their load after a demanding English summer.
Cricket news and related links
- Jofra Archer to miss opening New Zealand ODI series with Ashes preparation taking priority
- The Ashes contenders: Three young guns poised for an England call-up
- Mark Wood provides positive update on Ashes rehab
- The Ashes debate: The race to be England’s second spinner heats up
- Harry Brook unleashes his frustration after England’s heavy defeat