These player battles can headline the Ashes finale at SCG
02 Jan 2026

The final match of the 2025-2026 Ashes series will get underway at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on January 4.

Team Australia had already secured a series victory by winning the first three matches before England bounced back in the fourth Test in Melbourne.

The Brits now aim to end the tour on a high.

Here we look at the anticipated player battles that can be on display in the series finale.

Mitchell Starc vs Ben Stokes
#1

Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc has been at his lethal best in the ongoing series as his 26 wickets have come at an average of 17.42.

He has been a major nemesis to England captain Ben Stokes throughout his career.

As per ESPNcricinfo, Starc has trapped Stokes 13 times across 29 Test innings as the latter averages just 17.3 in this battle.

In the ongoing series, Starc has dismissed the southpaw four times.

Josh Tongue vs Steve Smith
#2

Right-arm pacer Josh Tongue was the hero of England's triumph at the MCG, having scalped seven wickets in the game.

He has particularly dominated Australia's batting talisman Steve Smith.

In Test matches, Smith has faced 86 balls against Tongue and been dismissed three times across four meetings.

Meanwhile, the stand-in Aussie skipper averages a fine 45.33 with the bat in the ongoing series.

Scott Boland vs Joe Root
#3

Though Joe Root ended a long drought with a century in the pink-ball Test, he has not crossed the 30-run mark in six of the eight innings on this tour.

However, he has fared decently against Scott Boland, scoring 68 runs off 119 balls against him without losing his wicket.

Boland would be raring to dominate the battle at the SCG.

Notably, the veteran pacer trapped Root four times across six innings in the 2021-22 Ashes Down Under.

Travis Head vs Brydon Carse
#4

Australia's Travis Head has been the best batsman in the ongoing series, having scored 437 runs at 54.62 (100s: 2).

His battle with Brydon Carse, England's most successful bowler on this tour, has been enticing.

Though the pacer has trapped Head four times across seven innings on this tour, the batter has scored 133 runs against him at a strike rate of 97.08.

Meanwhile, Carse has scalped 19 wickets in the ongoing series at 25.58.