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611: The Ashes 2025/26 Preview - Can England Win On Australian soil?

November 20, 2025·46 min·3 clips

Lucas calls the Ashes “the pinnacle of test cricket” and says “a hundred” out of ten for excitement.

1. Cricket Badger Podcast 611 previews the 2025/26 Ashes, focusing on Australia against England on the eve of the first Test. 2. James and Lucas lead the discussion, with James noting his commentary shift starts at 2 a.m. and Lucas speaking as an Adelaide-based cricket voice with personal ties to Jake Weatherholt. 3. The central question is whether England can win in Australia after years of heavy defeats and whether this Australian squad is actually vulnerable. 4. Lucas rejects the idea that Australia are weaker, pointing to Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon as core players still in place. 5. The first-Test Australian XI named in the conversation includes Usman Khawaja, Jake Weatherholt, Labuschagne, Smith, Head, Cameron Green, Carey, Starc, Lyon, Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett. 6. James highlights that England have named a 12 with Ben Stokes, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer and Sherry Bashir. 7. The biggest selection debate is whether England should pick Bashir or go with an all-pace attack led by Wood, Archer, Carse and Atkinson. 8. Lucas argues that on a green pitch a specialist spinner may not be necessary and says a batter who can add 20 or 30 runs could matter more. 9. The hosts repeatedly mention that these Australian pitches are expected to be green tops and potentially very short matches. 10. James says England have not won a Test in Australia for a very long time and that recent tours have ended in 4-0 and 5-0 defeats. 11. Lucas says England will win a Test but expects the series to be 4-1 Australia, while James settles on 3-1 Australia. 12. Lucas says Mitchell Starc has been Australia’s best bowler statistically over the last two years and cites 402 Test wickets and an average of 27. 13. James worries that Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett could be exposed early if Starc gets movement with the new ball. 14. Lucas also says Scott Boland suits Australian pitches and predicts Boland will play all five Tests if fit. 15. James and Lucas question England’s preparation, saying one match against the England Lions is not enough for an Ashes tour of Australia. 16. Lucas says England must pitch the ball up, stay patient and avoid the back-of-a-length strategy if they want wickets on green surfaces. 17. The tone is conversational and argumentative, with both hosts moving between selection calls, tactical detail and predictions. 18. The format mixes direct back-and-forth debate with named team selections, player-specific analysis and audience messages. 19. Listeners who follow Test cricket selections, Ashes tactics, and fast-bowling matchups will get the most from it. 20. Listeners wanting match highlights, broad cricket history or short-form recap may skip it.

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