Ashes 2025-26: Australia’s ‘Worst’ Side Finds A Way To Defend Title – How It Happened

Labelled by critics as one of Australia’s weakest Ashes outfits in recent memory, a patched-up home side responded in the only way it knows how – by winning when it mattered most. On Sunday, the Aussies sealed an 82-run win in the third Test at Adelaide, retaining the Ashes title with a 3-0 margin.

In Adelaide, England were bowled out for 352 while chasing a daunting 435, falling short of what would have been a world-record fourth-innings victory. The contest went the distance, drawing a total crowd of 223,638, with the Barmy Army in full voice as England pushed deep into the penultimate session.

For all the noise and optimism surrounding England’s record chase, it was Australia who emerged victorious yet again, finding control when the pressure peaked. Another dramatic Test win underlined why, even with a depleted squad, the holders continue to dominate the longest format.

Relentless Starc Leads Patchwork Australia

This Ashes campaign has unfolded against the backdrop of an Australian side widely labelled as vulnerable, with former England pacer Stuart Broad labelling it “the worst Australian team since 2011”.

Captain Pat Cummins missed the first two Tests while recovering from a back injury sustained in July, Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the series, and Nathan Lyon was dropped for the second Test. That left Mitchell Starc as the lone member of Australia’s established bowling quartet for much of the series.

Starc has responded by leading from the front. His performance in Adelaide, where he claimed three of the last four wickets, capped a run that has seen him collect 22 wickets in the series and 51 in the calendar year, alongside two man-of-the-match awards.

“We just found a way, which I think is a feature of this group over a number of years now,” Starc said. “Even at times where it’s not going our way, we can find a way to get ourselves over the line.”

That ability to absorb setbacks and still dictate outcomes has become the defining theme of Australia’s Ashes defence.

Batting Flexibility And Winning Mindset

Australia’s resilience has not been confined to the bowling unit. The batting order has been repeatedly reshaped, with uncertainty around opening combinations and the No. 3 slot.

Steve Smith captained the side in Perth and Brisbane in Cummins’ absence but was ruled out of the third Test due to vertigo, forcing Usman Khawaja into a hastily arranged recall.

Khawaja played a stabilising role in the first innings, while earlier in the series, his back injury in the opening Test had pushed Travis Head from No. 5 to opener. Head seized the opportunity, scoring a century in that match and then 170 in the second innings at his home ground in Adelaide, making the role his own.

Cummins credited the group’s mindset for navigating constant disruption. “You just kind of crack on,” he said. “Even though I missed the first couple of games, Steve’s stepped right in. It was smooth, seamless.

“And there’s always things that crop up … but the boys go, ‘OK, that’s happened, let’s crack on, what’s next?’ I think that’s one of our big reasons why we’ve had success over the last couple of years.”

That attitude will face another stern test in Melbourne from Boxing Day, with Cummins and Lyon seemingly unlikely to play, but Australia’s ability to adapt has already shaped this Ashes narrative.

As Head summed up after Adelaide, reflecting on life inside this team, “Yeah, it’s bloody amazing.”

(With AP Inputs)