April 5, 2025: Former Australian pacer Jason Gillespie has backed Australia to retain the Ashes 2025-26 series at home, stating that the conditions in Australia will give ample support to the Australian bowlers, while England may struggle with their batting in unfamiliar conditions.
The upcoming Ashes series is set to begin in Perth on November 21, 2025. With the Ashes urn currently with England after a 2-2 draw in the UK, Gillespie believes that England’s inability to take 20 wickets and their lack of adaptability with the bat could cost them the prestigious series.
Speaking on the Wisden Cricket Patreon channel, Gillespie, a four-time Ashes winner, said, “Australia plays incredibly well in home conditions. My concern for England is, how are they going to take 20 wickets? But also, are they adaptable enough with the bat?”
England has struggled in Australian conditions in recent years, with their last Ashes win down under coming in 2011. The team has suffered significant defeats in previous tours, including a 4-0 loss in 2017-18 and a whitewash in 2013.
Gillespie is also cautious about England’s aggressive batting approach, saying, “We’ve seen how they look to go about it, they look to score quickly. I think the surfaces here will offer enough assistance to the Australian bowlers to make the most of it. But I am not sure how adaptable the England batting lineup is to counter the conditions here.”
Gillespie also expressed support for England’s focus on express-pace bowlers for the Ashes, with bowlers like Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, and Brydon Carse being identified as potential threats. However, Gillespie believes there needs to be a balance of raw pace and accuracy.
“I would have a couple of accurate seamers, guys that can bash a disk over and over type bowlers. I would still have them in the squad but I do not disagree with the thought of having some out and out express pace,” he said.
Gillespie also singled out Essex seamer Sam Cook as a potential option for England, praising his accuracy and effectiveness with the Kookaburra ball. Although Cook is yet to make his Test debut, Gillespie believes he should be in contention for the Ashes.
“He could do a role for sure. I watched him when the England Lions were out here. He was close to being the pick of the bowlers from what I saw,” Gillespie said.
In addition to Cook, Gillespie also highlighted the potential of Australian pacer Dan Worrell, who now qualifies to represent England. While Worrell’s inclusion remains uncertain, Gillespie believes he should be in contention, given his experience in Australian conditions.
“He should absolutely be in contention for England. If he is in the best six or seven quicks that England have on offer, he has got experience in Australian conditions, why wouldn’t you look at him?” Gillespie concluded.
The 2025-26 Ashes series promises to be a thrilling contest, with Australia looking to defend their home turf, while England aims to break their long winless streak on Australian soil.