Australia once again finished an Ashes series with the famous urn firmly in their possession, underlining their continued dominance over England on home soil. While England avoided a humiliating whitewash with victory in Melbourne, Australia’s commanding performance in the fifth Test in Sydney sealed a 4–1 series win and exposed deep flaws in England’s red-ball setup.
With the dust now settled on another bruising tour down under, attention turns to the individual performances that shaped the series. Some players enhanced their reputations, others saw their international futures thrown into doubt, and one Australian batter confirmed his status as a modern great across all formats.
Here are the full Ashes 2025–26 player ratings, assessing performances across the entire series.
England Player Ratings: Careers at a Crossroads
Zak Crawley – 5/10
Crawley’s series followed a familiar pattern. An average of 27 felt predictable even before the first ball was bowled. Despite England backing him as an opener suited to Australian conditions, he failed to deliver consistently and now faces serious competition ahead of the home summer.
Ben Duckett – 3/10
Arriving with a reputation as one of England’s best all-format batters, Duckett leaves Australia with his Test career hanging in the balance. He failed to register a half-century, dropped key catches and became embroiled in off-field distractions. A reset, rather than more cricket, may be what he needs most.
Jacob Bethell – 7/10
England’s biggest “what if” of the series. Given just two Tests, Bethell made an immediate impact with a crucial 40 in Melbourne before announcing himself with a magnificent 154 in Sydney. Calm, composed and technically sound, he now looks like England’s long-term answer at number three.
Joe Root – 7/10
Root finally ticked off the long-standing box of a Test century in Australia and followed it with another hundred in Sydney. While he was not prolific throughout, he remains England’s most reliable batter at 35. England’s struggles without him scarcely bear thinking about.
Harry Brook – 5/10
This was supposed to be Brook’s breakthrough Ashes series. Instead, it was marked by loose dismissals and missed opportunities. With the added responsibility of white-ball captaincy, questions are emerging about whether his Test development is being hindered.
Ben Stokes – 6/10
Stokes’ final Ashes tour in Australia ended in disappointment. He was England’s standout bowler, underwhelming with the bat and inconsistent tactically. However, he carried a heavy leadership burden and earns credit for holding a faltering team together.
Jamie Smith – 3/10
Smith arrived as a near-certainty for England’s future but leaves with his place under serious threat. Dropped catches and soft dismissals defined his tour, culminating in a reckless shot in Sydney that summed up England’s indiscipline.
Will Jacks – 5/10
Jacks performed his assigned role competently, batting at eight and providing part-time off-spin. However, being asked to fulfil this role in four Tests exposed England’s lack of planning rather than Jacks’ ability. His next Test appearance may be some way off.
Brydon Carse – 6/10
Carse took 22 wickets across the series, a remarkable tally historically, though it did not always reflect his control. His durability and willingness to shoulder long spells across all five Tests deserve recognition.
Matthew Potts – 1/10
A harsh rating, but Potts was badly managed. Thrown into the Sydney Test after long periods of neglect, he struggled badly. His future in England’s pecking order now looks bleak.
Josh Tongue – 7/10
One of England’s few bright spots. Tongue did not play until the third Test but still claimed 18 wickets. Aggressive, effective and improving, he should be central to England’s attack going forward.
Mark Wood – 2/10
A heroic effort to regain fitness ended after just 11 overs in the opening Test. With injuries mounting, serious questions remain over whether Wood will play Test cricket again.
Jofra Archer – 6/10
Archer bowled far better than his nine wickets suggest and even contributed valuable runs. Injured once again after three Tests, his future lies in careful workload management rather than sustained Test campaigns.
Ollie Pope – 3/10
A promising start faded quickly and Pope was rightly dropped after three Tests. He failed to justify the faith shown in him and must now rebuild to earn another chance.
Gus Atkinson – 3/10
Struggled early, briefly showed signs of recovery, then succumbed to injury. No longer a guaranteed pick in England’s first-choice attack.
Shoaib Bashir – 0/10
Identified early as part of a long-term plan, Bashir did not play a single Test. The experiment of developing a spinner during an Ashes tour failed completely.
Australia Player Ratings: Headline Acts and Ruthless Execution
Jake Weatherald – 4/10
Useful cameos early in the series but gradually exposed. An Ashes winner, though possibly not Australia’s long-term opening solution.
Travis Head – 10/10
The standout player of the series and arguably the world’s best all-format batter. His promotion to opener transformed the Ashes, with three centuries sealing his dominance. This was unmistakably the Travis Head Ashes.
Marnus Labuschagne – 5/10
Yet to fully justify his recall at number three with the bat, but outstanding in the field with three sensational catches. His bowling remains an oddity best forgotten.
Steve Smith – 7/10
Quiet early on before delivering a trademark century in Sydney. Led Australia superbly as stand-in captain and masterminded another Ashes triumph.
Usman Khawaja – 5/10
A curious final Ashes chapter. His series will be remembered as much for what he did not do in Perth as for his contributions elsewhere.
Alex Carey – 9/10
An exceptional series behind the stumps, combined with vital runs including a century in Adelaide. His role in the Snicko controversy added intrigue, but his performance was outstanding.
Cameron Green – 4/10
Once seen as Australia’s future superstar, Green now faces questions over form, fitness and role. Injuries and lack of runs have stalled his progress.
Beau Webster – 5/10
Made the most of his opportunity, scoring valuable runs and showcasing versatility with the ball.
Michael Neser – 7/10
Recalled after three years out as injury cover, Neser delivered exactly what was required and proved the value of disciplined medium-fast bowling.
Mitchell Starc – 10/10
The series-defining bowler. Starc was devastating in the opening Tests and set the tone for Australia’s dominance, evoking memories of Mitchell Johnson’s 2013–14 heroics.
Scott Boland – 7/10
Not quite at his debut heights, but effective and consistent, banishing memories of a difficult 2023 tour of England.
Brendan Doggett – 4/10
A solid contributor as injury cover. May not play again, but leaves as an Ashes winner.
Pat Cummins – 6/10
Remarkable effort to play at all with a serious back injury. His lone Test was decisive and he captained Australia to retain the urn.
Nathan Lyon – 4/10
Impactful before injury struck again. Fitness concerns loom as Australia plan for the 2027 Ashes.
Josh Inglis – 3/10
Limited impact in the two Tests he played. Opportunities may arise following Khawaja’s retirement.
Jhye Richardson – 2/10
Commendable return from injury but restricted to a single appearance. May yet feature again with better fortune.
Verdict: A Tale of Two Teams
While Australia march forward with confidence and depth, England leave Australia with hard questions to answer about preparation, selection and discipline. Travis Head emerged as the defining figure of the series, while several England careers now hang in the balance.
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