Australia Batting Fails In The Melbourne Test: The fourth Test of the Ashes series between Australia and England started from Friday i.e. December 26, 2025 in Melbourne. After losing the toss, the Australian team, which came to bat first, was reduced to 152 runs in the first innings. Australia, which had taken an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the series, had shown the fear of fast bowling to England before the start of the Melbourne Test, but itself got trapped in this maze. England, which won the toss and decided to bowl, did not give any Australian batsman a chance to settle on the crease.

Australia’s batting failed in Melbourne test

While the century-winning head and carry of the previous match did not work, the bat of Steve Smith, who returned in this Test, also remained quiet. Smith could score only 9 runs. If Michael Neser, who came to bat at number eight, had not played an inning of 35 runs, Australia’s situation would have been worse. Neser was the top scorer in Australia’s first innings. He hit 7 fours in his innings. For Australia, Travis Head scored 12, Jake Weatherald 10, Usman Khawaja 29, Alex Carey 20 and Cameron Green scored 17 runs.

Josh Tong did lethal bowling in Melbourne test

Josh Tong was the most successful bowler from England. Tong took 5 wickets for 45 runs in 11.2 overs. Tong took the wickets of Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Michael Neser and Scott Boland. Gus Atkinson took 2 wickets for 28 runs in 14 overs. Atkinson took the important wickets of Head and Usman Khawaja. Captain Ben Stokes and Brayden Carse also got 1 wicket each. England, which has lost the Ashes series by losing the first three tests, has a chance to win this test. If England manages to take a big lead over Australia in the first innings, then pressure can be put on Australia in the second innings.

England’s young all-rounder Jacob Bethall, who was in the headlines even before the Boxing Day Test, has once again become a topic of discussion. This time the reason was neither his game nor any statement, but a strange incident that happened while fielding on the field. Which ’embarrassed’ him in front of the camera.

Strange incident happened during fielding

Jacob Bethall was fielding for England in the Boxing Day Test being played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. During this time, he tried to stop the ball by making a spectacular dive near the boundary. The dive was excellent, but while sliding his pants slipped down a bit. Usually this happens many times in cricket, but this time the matter was different.

As soon as the camera went to Bethel, their problems became clearly visible. The reason was that the innerwear he was wearing had a picture of the Ashes trophy printed on it. This was clearly visible in the camera and after this the clip quickly went viral on social media. The reaction of 22 year old Bethal was also worth seeing, he was seen trying to recover immediately, but by then the camera had done its job. On this, some fans believe that this could be a way of teasing the Australian team, while some are calling it just a coincidence.

Melbourne test is important for England

Talking about the match, Melbourne Test is very important for England. The Ashes series 2025-26 has already gone out of England’s hands and Australia has won the series. In such a situation, the Boxing Day Test has become a battle of prestige for England.

Australia’s first innings was lackluster

The Australian team, which came to bat first after losing the toss, was all out for 152 runs in the first innings. Michael Neser scored the highest score of 35 runs, while Usman Khawaja scored 29 runs and Alex Carey scored 20 runs. Josh Tong bowled brilliantly for England and took five wickets. Apart from this, Gus Atkinson got two wickets.

The fourth Test of the Ashes 2025-26 between Australia and England is starting in Melbourne from Friday. England has lost the series after losing the first 3 tests of the series played in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide. England will enter the next 2 Tests with the intention of saving their honour, which does not seem easy. Let us know what is England’s record so far in Melbourne.

England’s record so far at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is not very bad, but victory has not been easy for them even at this venue. A total of 57 Tests have been played between Australia and England in Melbourne. Australia has won 29 Test matches, while England has won 20 Test matches. 8 tests are being drawn. If we look at the statistics, England have hardly won on this ground.

England will try to get their first win of the tour in the Test match starting from Friday.

The pitch in Melbourne Test is favorable for fast bowlers. Captain Steve Smith has said that he is thinking of giving place to only 4 fast bowlers in the playing eleven. Smith has said that Nathan Lyon is not a part of this test due to injury, but even if he was fit, it would have been difficult for him to make a place in the team. Australia will announce the playing eleven at the time of the toss.

England’s baseball style has proved to be a complete flop in this series. After the defeat in the Adelaide Test and the series loss, England captain Ben Stokes had said that the intention with which he had come on the tour could not be fulfilled. He will try to improve his performance and win in the remaining test matches. England have included Jacob Bethel and Gus Atkinson in the team for the Melbourne Test. England has not won the Ashes series since 2015.

England’s playing eleven of Melbourne test

Jack Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethel, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacques, Gus Atkinson, Braydon Carse, Josh Tongue.

Australia team for Melbourne test

Travis Head, Jack Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (captain), Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey (wicketkeeper), Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc, Scott Boland, Michael Neser, Brendan Doggett, Jhye Richardson.

In the first three matches of the ongoing 5-match Ashes series between England and Australia, the English team lost the series 3-0. Now the demand for change in the leadership of the team has intensified. Former English spinner Monty Panesar has said that the team needs a new thinking. He has suggested former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri as a possible successor to Brendon McCullum and Panesar said that Ravi Shastri knows how to win series in Australia.

Demand raised to make Ravi Shastri the coach

England Lost The Ashes 2025-26: Former England spinner Monty Panesar has talked about Ravi Shastri becoming the new head coach of England. He emphasized on Shastri’s proven track record against Australia and said that Shastri has the necessary tactical knowledge to win a high-pressure series in Australia.

Panesar said, ‘You have to think who knows the right way to defeat Australia? How will you take advantage of Australia’s mental, physical and strategic weaknesses? I think Ravi Shastri should become the next head coach of England. McCullum’s ‘baseball’ tactics, which had won praise for his attacking style, have come under intense scrutiny following England’s poor results both at home and away. Since the beginning of the year 2024, the English team has won 12 tests but also lost 13. This has raised concerns over the sustainability of McCullum’s methods and how effective this method is against top teams like Australia.

Ravi Shastri has won two series in Australia

Under the guidance of Ravi Shastri, India has won two test series in Australia. He won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2018-19 and 2020-21. Both times the scoreline of the series was 2-1. This remarkable success in Australia has led some former English players, including Panesar, to view Shastri as a coach who can exploit the weaknesses of the Australian team.

Will McCullum leave the post of head coach?

Meanwhile, amid the ongoing speculation, Brendon McCullum himself has expressed uncertainty about his future as the head coach of England. When asked about continuing his role for the English summer of 2026, McCullum said that the matter is not really in his hands. McCullum told the press, ‘I don’t know. It’s not really up to me, I’ll just keep trying to do my job, try to learn from the things we didn’t do well here and try to make some improvements. These questions are not for me, but for someone else.

The Ashes Series 2025-26: The England cricket team has not been able to win a single test match in Australia for the last 15 years. England last won a Test match on Australian soil in 2010-11. After this, 17 test matches have been played between England and Australia so far, in which the English team has failed to win even a single test match. Out of these 17 matches, the 15th defeat was in the day-night test played in Brisbane. However, the reason given by the team’s head coach Brendon McCullum for this defeat has surprised everyone. McCullum says that the team had prepared more than necessary for this match.

Ashes series 2025-26 account

The ongoing 2025-26 Ashes series between Australia and England started from Perth. In the first match of this series, Australia gave a crushing defeat to England in just 2 days. 12 days later, the second match was played in Brisbane with day-night i.e. pink ball. However, this match continued till the fourth day but the result remained the same as Perth Test. In this match, England had to face a shameful defeat by 8 wickets. At the same time, England suffered its 15th defeat out of 17 consecutive Tests on Australian soil, while 2 Test matches between the two teams have been drawn.

McCullum’s surprising statement after the defeat in Brisbane Test

After the defeat in the first two matches of the Ashes series 2025-26, England’s hopes of comeback are looking difficult and head coach McCullum is under question on this. As bad as England’s performance was in the Brisbane Test, coach Brendon McCullum gave an even more surprising statement. Speaking to the broadcaster after the defeat to the English team, McCullum said, “We probably Will drink beer at night. I think we had prepared more than necessary before coming into this match. We trained very hard for five consecutive days and sometimes when you are preparing for a competition, like we are, sometimes the most important thing is to feel fresh.”

“Leading into this Test match, I actually think we over prepared to be honest.”

– Brendon McCullum talks about England’s approach heading into Brisbane and whether it’ll change for Adelaide #Ashes pic.twitter.com/YII0f9slli

— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 7, 2025

England left the practice match after a 12-day break

As far as England’s preparations are concerned, the first match of the series started on 21 November and ended on 22 November. After this, the second match started from 4th December i.e. during this time the English team got a break of 12 days. Even though McCullum talked about 5 consecutive training sessions, during this time England also had a chance to play a day-night practice match but the pair of Stokes and McCullum had decided to rest instead of taking part in it.

The second test of the England vs Australia Ashes series is being played at the Gabba Stadium in Brisbane. This is the Pink Ball Test, in which Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne created history. He has become the first batsman in the world to complete 1000 runs in the day-night test.

When the play started on the second day of the second Test of the Ashes series, England’s score was 325 runs for 9 wickets. Brendan Doggett took the last wicket of the English innings on the 14th ball of the day. Australia also gained lead over England on the very second day. The team got a good start from Travis Head and Jack Weatherald, after which Marnus Labuschagne led the innings well and completed his half-century.

Marnus Labuschagne created history

Travis Head and Jack Weatherald made a partnership of 77 runs for the first wicket, Head was out after scoring 33 runs in 43 balls. After this, there was a partnership of 69 runs for the second wicket between Jack and Marnus Labuschagne, Jack was out after scoring 72 runs on the ball of Archer.

After this, Marnus Labuschagne completed his half-century, he made a partnership of 50 runs with Steve Smith. Labuschagne scored 65 runs in 78 balls with the help of 1 six and 9 fours. In this innings, he became the first batsman in the world to complete 1000 runs in the Day Night Test (Pink Ball Test), Steve Smith is at second place in this list.

Batsman who scored most runs in day night test

• Marnus Labuschagne- 1023
• Steve Smith- 850
• David Warner- 753
• Travis Head- 752
• Joe Root- 639

Mitchell Starc took 6 wickets

The one who put England on the back foot on the very first day was Mitchell Starc, who took 6 wickets in the first innings. He dismissed 6 batsmen for 75 runs in 20 overs. He did not even allow openers Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope to open the account. England’s most experienced batsman Joe Root played a brilliant innings and took England to a respectable score, Root scored 138 runs and remained unbeaten.

Australia has strengthened its hold on the second Ashes Test. In this match being played at Gabba, Australia has scored 378 runs at the loss of 6 wickets by the end of the second day’s play. Australia is currently ahead by 44 runs in the first innings, because England’s first innings was reduced to 334 runs. On the second day, captain Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne and Jack Weatherald scored half-centuries for the Kangaroo team.

England increased their score to 325/9 on the second day. The English team had added only 9 runs to the scoreboard, then Archer was out after scoring 38 runs. England’s first innings was limited to 334 runs. Joe Root returned unbeaten after scoring 138 runs.

Second test in the hands of Australia

In the absence of Usman Khawaja, Travis Head started the Australian innings along with Jack Weatherald. There was an opening partnership of 77 runs between the two. Head was out after scoring 33 runs, but Weatherald scored 72 runs playing at a strike rate of 92. Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith took the lead, but when Labuschagne was out after scoring 65 runs, Australia lost the third wicket at the score of 196.

The England team seemed to be in a comeback mood, but then Smith and Green made a partnership of 95 runs. At one time, Australia had scored 291 runs at the loss of 3 wickets, but meanwhile, Brydon Carse brought England back into the match by taking the wickets of Cameron Green and Steve Smith in the same over. Ben Stokes gave the sixth blow to Australia by clean bowling Josh English.

Now Alex Carey and Michael Neser are becoming a problem for England. Their partnership of 49 runs for the seventh wicket seems to be very heavy for England.

Stokes and Kars got beaten up a lot.

On the second day, England’s bowlers were also beaten badly. Later Stokes bowled well, but at one time his economy rate was touching around 7. Stokes has taken 2 wickets so far, but has given away 93 runs in 17 overs. On the other hand, Brayden Kars has given away 113 runs in 17 overs and has also taken 3 wickets.

The famous Test series Ashes 2025-2026 played between England and Australia is going on. In the second Test, which started on 4 December, England, batting first, were all out for 334 runs, Australia is in a good position. Australia also won the first match. Meanwhile, former England fast bowler James Anderson chose the all-time perfect playing eleven for the Ashes. Anderson did not choose former Australian captain Ricky Ponting as captain. Rather, he was included as a wicket keeper, which surprised everyone.

Who is the captain of all time Ashes XI?

43-year-old former cricketer James Anderson chose the all-time perfect playing eleven by including players from England and Australia. The fans were most surprised when in the end he chose Ricky Ponting as the wicket keeper, while he made Ben Stokes the captain.

TNT Sports asked James Anderson to select his all-time Ashes XI. Anderson first took the name of Donald Bradman, whose average was around 99. This was also surprising, because this great batsman never opened in his Test career. Bradman batted at number 3 in 40 matches, scoring 5078 runs. Anderson chose former England captain Alastair Cook as the second opener.

In case you missed it, here is @Jimmy9 explaining his selections in his All Time Ashes X1.

Make sure you’re sitting down.
This is hysterical. pic.twitter.com/zZLA7FSIza

— The Oracle (@BigOtrivia) December 3, 2025

Ricky Ponting at number three

James Anderson chose Ricky Ponting at number three and Joe Root at number four. Anderson did not include Steve Smith, who is the third highest run-scorer in the Ashes, in his playing 11.

He placed Kevin Pietersen at number five. After Ian Botham, he included Ben Stokes, whom he later made the captain. He included the late Shane Warne in this team. After this he included Bob Wills, Glenn McGrath and Stuart Broad in the team.

After revealing his team, he made Stuart Broad the captain, but the interesting twist came at the end. He had forgotten to choose the wicket keeper, after which he said that he would like to give this role to Ricky Ponting. Let us tell you that in the 90s, Ponting kept wicket 4 times in club cricket, although he never kept wicket in professional cricket.

Anderson’s all-time Ashes XI

Donald Bradman, Alastair Cook, Ricky Ponting (wk), Joe Root, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Botham, Ben Stokes (c), Shane Warne, Bob Willis, Glenn McGrath and Stuart Broad.

By the end of the first day’s play, England had scored 325 runs at the loss of 9 wickets. The second Ashes Test is being played at the Gabba ground in Brisbane, in which Joe Root scored the 40th century of his Test career (Joe Root Centuries). By the end of the first day’s play, Joe Root and Joffra Archer had made a brisk partnership of 61 runs in 44 balls.

For England, opener Jack Crawley scored 76 runs, but Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope were out without opening the account. Crawley and Root rescued the England team from trouble by making a partnership of 117 runs. Harry Brook was out after scoring only 31 runs, while captain Ben Stokes was run out by Josh English with an excellent throw.

Joe Root’s historic century

By the end of the first day’s play, Joe Root had scored 135 runs in the second test against Australia. This was the 40th century of his Test career. This is the first time in Test cricket history that Root has scored a Test century on Australian soil. Root has achieved this feat 13 years after his Test debut.

Root-Archer made the Kangaroos cry

England lost its 9th wicket at the score of 264. At one time England had scored 273 runs for 9 wickets in 69 overs. After this, Joe Root and Joffra Archer batted stormily and added 52 runs in the next 5 overs. Archer has scored 32 runs in 26 balls and along with Joe Root has made a partnership of 61 runs for the 10th wicket.

The most successful bowler for Australia was Mitchell Starc, who dismissed 6 batsmen in the first innings. Starc has been the most successful bowler in this series so far. So far in this series, he has taken 16 wickets in 43.5 overs.

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It took 13 years, Joe Root did this feat for the first time in his career, created history by scoring a century in the second Ashes

The second Ashes Test between Australia and England is being played in Brisbane. In this match, Joe Root has scored the 40th century of his Test career (Joe Root 40th Century). This is the first time that Root has scored a Test century on Australian soil. Joe Root has now become the eighth England cricketer to score a Test century at the historic ground of Gabba. Before him, 7 cricketers including Andrew Strauss and Ian Botham had done this.

Did this for the first time in 13 years

Joe Root made his Test debut against India in 2012. Till now, Root had scored centuries in 7 different countries, but had not been able to play any century innings in Australia till now. Till now, Joe Root’s highest individual score in Australia was 89 runs, but now he has ended his century drought on Australian soil.

Joe Root has now become one of the players who have played the most innings to score his first Test century in Australia. Root got the pleasure of scoring a century in Australia after waiting for 30 innings. Before him, Ian Healy (41 innings), Bob Simpson (36 innings), Gordon Greenidge (32 innings) and Steve Waugh also had to wait for 32 innings to score their first century in Australia.

Status of second Ashes test

The second Ashes Test is being played at the Gabba ground in Brisbane. In this match, England won the toss and chose to bat first. Till the time of writing this article, England has scored 272 runs. Joe Root scored the 40th test century of his career. Root is currently at fourth place in terms of scoring most centuries in Test cricket history. Sachin Tendulkar (51), Jacques Kallis (45) and Ricky Ponting (41) are ahead of him in the list of most centuries.

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How much will Virat Kohli charge for playing a match in Vijay Hazare Trophy? You will be shocked to know the amount