The oldest rivalry in cricket is all set to begin in England from June 16. England and Australia are going head-to-head in the first Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham. England have started their home summer in a brilliant fashion. They comprehensively defeated Ireland in a one-off Test at Lord's in London. Ben Stokes will continue to lead the English side in the Ashes 2023. Australia, on the other hand, are coming off a convincing 209-run win over India in the World Test Championship final. Australia haven't won an Ashes series in England since 2001 and Pat Cummins will be eyeing a series win this time around. Read the full match preview, pitch report & every detail about England vs Australia 1st Test match with Dream XI team prediction in our fantasy sports segment.

Read Also: The Ashes: Stuart Broad picked over Mark Wood by England for the first Test

The Stokes-McCullum era began with a bang last year and all eyes will be on the hosts when they face Australia at home. England are currently playing a fearless brand of cricket and their players have really stepped up in recent times. They will be hoping to keep performing in a similar manner and start their home Ashes series with a win. The Australian management has got a selection headache ahead of the first Test at Edgbaston. Scott Boland was sensational with the ball in the WTC final and it will be interesting to see who they go with against England as Josh Hazlewood is 100% fit now.

The Ashes 2023: England vs Australia 1st Test

Match Details

• Match: England vs Australia 1st Test
• Date: 16/06/2023 - 20/06/2023
• Time: 3:30 PM IST
• Venue: Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham
• Where to watch: Sony Sports Network & Sony LIV app

Venue | Pitch Report

The pitch at Edgbaston is a balanced track. The pitch isn't a green top, but there is a thick covering of grass on it, which means that it's conducive for seam bowling. On Monday, it was cooked under sunlight, but the very next day, the strip was under the covers due to heavy rain. The seamers will get enough assistance from the surface and batting won't be easy on the first two days of the Test. The batters will have to work hard to score runs at this venue. Expect an even contest between the bat and the ball in the first Test.

Temperatures in Birmingham are expected between 14 and 26 degrees Celsius. Rain is, however, predicted from Day 2 onwards.

England vs Australia | Head to Head

• Matches Played: 356
• ENG won: 110
• AUS won: 150
• Drawn: 96

Talking about the recent form, England have won four of their last five test matches, whereas Australia have won two out of their five.

Read Also: Women's Cricket: Nadia district women's team beat Howrah to win their 4th consecutive T20 title

England vs Australia | Team News

England

The hosts have won 11 of their first 13 Test matches under the Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum partnership, but this will prove to be the sternest challenge so far. 'Bazball' has been a total success, with England adopting a brutal batting style that has blown most sides away. Moeen Ali has said he would not have come out of Test retirement to play in the Ashes for any other England captain than Stokes. He has answered England's call after Jack Leach was ruled out of the series with a back injury. The hosts have a number of concerns to deal with as Jofra Archer has also been ruled out for the summer after a recurrence of a stress fracture in his right elbow.

"It's a once in a lifetime journey that we're all going on." ❤️

Watch Red Ball Revolution NOW! 🔴

Our Year of Rock and Roll Cricket! 🎸

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 14, 2023

There are also concerns over Stokes' knee, with the captain's ability to bowl yet to be determined. Although he bowled some overs in practice, there is no confirmation. England have already announced their playing XI for the 1st Test. Jimmy Anderson, Ollie Robinson, and Stuart Broad will lead the bowling attack.

The following is a list of England players who can make a massive impact in the Ashes 2023:

1. Ben Stokes
2. Joe Root
3. James Anderson
4. Stuart Broad
5. Jonny Bairstow

Australia

Australia played without Josh Hazelwood for the World Test Championship against India but Boland showed his potential. Hazlewood is fit now so it will be up to Cummins whom he wants at Edgbaston. This will also be David Warner's last Ashes series as the opener plans to retire from all forms of cricket within the next year. Australia will start with full confidence as they defeated India in the WTC Final recently.

"It's amazing how away #Ashes series define an era ... that's the opportunity ahead of this group right now."

Australia's men's team are seeking their first series win on English soil in 22 years and it all starts tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/HvgYbGxtXU

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) June 15, 2023

Labuschagne, Smith & Head are in great form and there will be Green and Carey in the middle order to strengthen the batting lineup. The pair of Steve Smith and Travis Head scored centuries each in the WTC Final. If Khawaja finds his form back, then it will be very difficult for England to stop the Aussies.

The following is a list of Australian players who can make a big difference to the outcome of the Ashes 2023:

• Pat Cummins
• Steve Smith
• Josh Hazlewood
• Mitchell Starc
• Marnus Labuschagne

England vs Australia | Possible XI

England:

• Ben Duckett
• Zak Crawley
• Ollie Pope
• Joe Root
• Ben Stokes (c)
• Harry Brook
• Jonny Bairstow (wk)
• Moeen Ali
• Stuart Broad
• James Anderson
• Ollie Robinson

Australia:

• David Warner
• Usman Khawaja
• Marnus Labuschagne
• Steven Smith
• Travis Head
• Cameron Green
• Alex Carey (wk)
• Mitchell Starc
• Pat Cummins (c)
• Nathan Lyon
• Scott Boland

England vs Australia | Dream 11 Team Prediction

Cricket has always been a bridge across cultures, a phenomenon that connects players with fans from all around the world. Situations often force people to migrate from one country to the other. There have been instances when cricketers were born in different nations but ultimately played for a different country.

Let's take a look at the cricket facts of cricketers who didn't play for their country.

Also Read: "Wear whites for Virat": RCB fans in Bengaluru to wear white for Virat Kohli Test tribute

Cricket Facts | Cricketers who didn't play for their country

5. Glenn Phillips (South Africa-born)

New Zealand cricket all-rounder Glenn Philips moved from East London, South Africa to New Zealand at the age of five. He pursued his education in New Zealand, where he began his cricket journey. Having made his domestic debut with Auckland, he signed with Otago to play alongside his brother, Dale Phillips, in 2022. Interestingly, he made his international debut against South Africa, the country where he was born.

4. Ish Sodhi (India-born)

Inderbir Singh 'Ish' Sodhi was born in Ludhiana, India, on October 31, 1992, and spent his early years in New Zealand. He made his New Zealand debut as a leg-spinner in 2013, and since then, he has been a reliable performer in limited-overs forms, contributing significantly to the country's T20 World Cup campaigns.

3. Devon Conway (South Africa-born)

After playing for Gauteng and the Highveld Lions, Devon Conway moved to New Zealand in 2017 and made an immediate impact. He was the leading run-scorer in both the 2018-19 Plunket Shield (659) and 2018-19 Super Smash (363). Conway became eligible to play for New Zealand in August 2020 and has since become a key player for them across all formats. He averages 36.72 after 27 Tests and has also made 36 ODI and 50 T20I appearances.

2. Marnus Labuschagne (South Africa-born)

Marnus Labuschagne was born in Klerksdorp, in South Africa. His family moved to Australia when he was 10. Labuschagne made his Australia debut in Tests in 2018, after Steve Smith suffered an injury during the Ashes tour. Since then the prolific batter has emulated the batting prowess of his best friend and has not looked back. 

Speaking of his impressive international cricket career for Australia, Marnus Labuschagne has played 57 Tests, scoring 4396 runs with 11 centuries, and played 63 ODIs, scoring 1869 runs with two centuries. He has also played one T20I match.

Also Read: Fav four in Test cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith stats in Tests

1. Ben Stokes (New Zealand-born)

Ben Stokes was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in June 1991. His family moved to Cumbria when Stokes was 12 years old after his father was appointed head coach at Workington Town Rugby League Club.

Stokes has played for England in all three formats. Stokes is regarded as one of England's greatest all-rounders in the history of the sport. In domestic cricket, he represents Durham and has played in multiple Twenty20 leagues around the world. He was part of the England team that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup and 2022 T20 World Cup.

The excitement of IPL 2025 is set to begin once again on May 17. However, the availability of foreign players has been a major challenge for many teams after the one-week postponement.

Many foreign players have returned to India for the remaining matches of IPL, but some have completely refused to come this season. One of them is the name of Australian legend Mitchell Starc. Starc was part of the Delhi Capitals team in IPL 2025.

Also Read: KKR Redefines Matchday Atmosphere with Unmatched Tifo Displays during IPL 2025

Starc returned due to India-Pakistan tension

However, Mitchell Starc returned to Australia due to tensions between India and Pakistan. Starc was also involved in the match when there was a sudden blackout in the match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala.

Many foreign players who played in this match were in shock, but now the situation has become normal and the tournament is starting again. In such a situation, there are many foreign players who have returned.

There is talk of imposing a penalty on Starc

Mitchell Starc was an important player for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025, but Starc may be in trouble due to his non-return in the remaining matches. Starc was bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 11.75 crore in the mega auction.

In such a situation, it is believed that the Delhi Capitals team can deduct the auction fee if he does not return for the remaining matches of the season, for which the Australian bowler is also said to be ready.

According to the report, Mitchell Starc may face a penalty of 400000 Australian dollars i.e. Rs 3.92 crore if he does not return to IPL 2025. This amount will be deducted from his auction fee.

Also Read: IPL 2025: Here are the overseas players who might not come for the remainder of the tournament

Starc's performance in IPL 2025

Talking about Starc's performance in IPL 2025, he has taken 14 wickets in 11 matches for Delhi Capitals at an economy rate of 10.16. Starc bowled very economically this season. So, his return could prove to be a big loss for Delhi Capitals as the team is in dire need of wins to make it to the top four of the tournament. 

Delhi Capitals are currently fifth on the IPL 2025 Points Table and are among the four contenders for the playoffs’ spot. They have three matches remaining, and a win in at least two of them will take them closer to the qualification. Winning all three, will guarantee a top four finish.

RCB fans in Bengaluru to wear white for Virat Kohli Test tribute? Yes! Fans are planning a special "wear white" initiative and asking the crowd to show up in whites for the upcoming RCB vs KKR match at Chinnaswamy Stadium on May 17, 2025.

As the IPL is set to resume tomorrow, and we will witness Virat Kohli play his first match after his announcement of test retirement, fans are organising a heartfelt tribute for the King!

The viral spread of white wave

A fan-driven moment is going viral recently where they call the crowd to wear white for a collective tribute to Virat Kohli after his test retirement.

Whether you have a test jersey or not, all they ask for is wearing anything white instead of the jerseys of IPL franchises.

Discussions on Reddit

The white tribute takes shape on reddit as fans try to reach out as much as possible.

Fans pledge to wear white in Instagram comments

Fans leave heartfelt messages on comments section of official Royal Challengers Bengaluru Instagram page.

Hashtags like #WearWhiteForVirat, #KohliTestTribute, and #KohliTestFarewell are the ones people are using to make this a trend before the upcoming IPL 2025 match.

Content Creators spreading the word

Many content creators have joined hands to support this initiative and they are getting huge responses.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cricket Machas (@cricketmachas)

Harsha Bhogle reacts on Twitter 

Hey @RCBTweets fans, are you planning to turn up in white for the game on the 17th? Remember seeing a post suggesting that. It will be incredible and a sight for the ages if true and if you can pull it off.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 15, 2025

The comments section in response to the initiative is getting flooded with comments like "Count me in," and "Wearing white with pride!" 

Many are tagging their acquaintance with messages like "@[friends username] Let's do it!"

Will you show up on May 17 at Chinnaswamy Stadium in whites too?

The ICC World Test Championship 2023-2025 saw some stellar batting performances. Some players have consistently showed how good they are with the bat, and secured their top spot. 

As the WTC 2023-25 is approaching its end, it is now time to look at those huge numbers by some sensational test batters.

Check out these names with most runs in WTC 2023-25.

1. Joe Root (1968 runs) | England 

Joe Root, who is in the top 5 for most runs in test career among some legendary test batters, holds the 1st rank for most runs in WTC 2023-25. He is a central figure for England in tests.

Root's contribution in the WTC 2023-25 cycle has been immense. He scored 1968 runs in 22 matches, with his highest score being 262 against Pakistan, which is the second-highest individual score by an English batter in WTC 2023-25 cycle.

He scored 7 centuries in this cycle, which is unmatched so far.

Read Also: Joe Root to break Sachin Tendulkar's Record of Runs In Test Cricket, predicts Ricky Ponting

Joe Root stats in WTC 2023-2025

2. Yashasvi Jaiswal (1789 runs) | India

Yashasvi Jaiswal made his debut in test cricket during the WTC 2023-25 cycle and his journey was nothing short of sensational. He emerged as the highest run-scorer for India and holds the 2nd rank for most runs in WTC 2023-25.

He scored a total of 1798 runs in 19 matches, with 2 back-to-back double centuries against England, which showcased his ability to dominate in this format.

Read Also: IND vs ENG: Yashasvi Jaiswal becomes fastest Indian to complete 1000 runs in Test cricket

Yashasvi Jaiswal stats in WTC 2023-2025

3. Ben Duckett (1470 runs) | England 

The opening batter for England, Ben Duckett, was phenomenal in the WTC 2023-25 cycle. He consistently provided decent starts to his team with the kind of explosive batting he is known for.

Ben scored 1470 runs in 22 matches and holds the 3rd rank for most runs in WTC 2023-25. He scored 2 centuries during his campaign and proved to be one of the key batters for England.

Read Also: Highest wicket-takers in WTC 2023-25

Ben Duckett stats in WTC 2023-2025

Other players with 1400+ runs in WTC 2023-25

The England batters have purely dominated the list for most runs in WTC 2023-25, with their 3 batters appearing in top 5. Harry Brook is the third batter from England who is in the top 5 of this list, having 1400+ runs.

Australian batters like Steve Smith and Travis Head also performed brilliantly in this championship, but only Usman Khawaja could make it to the top 5 by having a 1400+ runs in total.

Read Also: WTC Final: Australia and South Africa announce their squads

The list will look different after the WTC final between Australia and South Africa, but here is what has happened so far.

As IPL 2025 faced disruptions and was suspended on 9th May, 2025, most of the overseas players returned back to their respective home countries.

The tournament is set to resume from 17th May, 2025, and it raises a crucial question about how many overseas players can rejoin their franchises.

Given their international commitments and other issues, check out the overseas players who might not come for the remainder of the tournament in IPL 2025 for each team.

IPL 2025 Points Table

Firstly, see where each team stands before the tournament resumes.

Read Also: Top 5 underrated players in IPL 2025

Overseas players return status for the remainder of IPL 2025