Cricket loves its old traditions, but the 2025/26 Ashes didn’t just nod to history—it crashed straight through it. Right from the start, these matches threw up numbers and moments nobody had seen in well over a century.
Let’s talk about what happened at Optus Stadium in Perth. The pitch was wild—fast and fiery, and it set the tone for a chaotic morning. Both teams’ openers crumbled without scoring a run. Seriously, in 143 years of Ashes battles, that had never happened. England’s innings kicked off with Mitchell Starc steaming in, sending Zak Crawley back for a duck. Not to be outdone, Jofra Archer struck early in Australia’s reply, trapping Jake Weatherald LBW for zero. Both sides lost their first wicket with nothing on the board. That’s the kind of symmetry you just don’t see.
Things didn’t settle down in Melbourne either. The Boxing Day Test at the MCG turned into pure mayhem. Bowlers ran riot. Twenty wickets tumbled on the first day—mayhem like that hadn’t rocked the Ashes since 1902. More than 94,000 fans packed the stadium, and everyone sat back and watched Australia collapse for 152. England barely managed 110. All that drama before stumps on Day One. It’s the sort of opening day people talk about for decades.
And then came the madness in Perth. The whole Test lasted just two days—847 balls in total—making it the shortest Ashes Test by balls bowled since 1895. Travis Head lit up the end with a 69-ball hundred, the fastest by an opener in Ashes history, and Australia cruised to the target of 205.
So, as the series rolls on, these wild records aren’t just numbers—they’re proof that the Ashes still finds new ways to shock us. After 143 years, you’d think we’d seen it all. Clearly, cricket isn’t done surprising anyone yet.