Australia’s dominance in the 2025-26 Ashes series has been shaped by a combination of Travis Head’s batting brilliance and Ben Stokes’ physical limits, leaving England on the brink of a series defeat.

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Head’s Promotion Proves a Masterstroke

The turning point of the series may well have come in Perth, when Usman Khawaja was sidelined with back spasms. Travis Head, promoted from the middle order, immediately seized the opportunity, stating, “It can’t be that hard, let’s get after them.”

Head’s aggressive approach yielded a magnificent Ashes century, his second of the series, in the third Test at Adelaide Oval, effectively putting Australia in command of the urn.

• Head has now scored four Ashes centuries and added hundreds in both the 2023 World Cup final and the World Test Championship final.
• His strike rate since adopting a more attacking style has surged to 80.20 runs per 100 balls, compared to 49.65 earlier in his career, marking a remarkable transformation.
• England’s bowlers, previously exploiting Head’s weaknesses with short-pitched deliveries, struggled to contain him, often resorting to defensive fields that played into his strengths.

In Adelaide, Head’s composure and timing were on full display. He reached his hundred while strolling between wickets, winning the adoration of the home crowd and achieving a career average of 87.33 at Adelaide Oval, placing him fourth among players with five or more matches at the ground.

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England Captain Ben Stokes ‘Knackered’ But Fit

While Head dominated with the bat, England captain Ben Stokes faced his own battle with fatigue. Stokes had scored 83 in England’s first innings, spending over five hours at the crease, including dealing with head impacts from Mitchell Starc and bouts of cramp.

• Stokes did not bowl during Australia’s second innings on day three, leaving other bowlers to manage the attack as Australia reached 271-4, a lead of 356.
• Assistant coach Jeetan Patel explained, “He’s knackered but fit to bowl. He’s taken a lot out of himself to get through to this point.”
• Given his history of injuries and tendency to push his body past breaking point, Stokes’ self-restraint was notable but left England with limited bowling firepower at a critical moment.

Patel emphasized that England still need something “magical” to keep the Ashes alive, but the combination of Head’s form and Stokes’ workload has tilted the series heavily in Australia’s favour.

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Ashes Outcome Nearing Completion

• England ended day four of the Adelaide Test at 194-6, with Zak Crawley dismissed for 85.
• Australia require four more wickets to secure a 3-0 lead and retain the Ashes for the first time in 11 days of cricket.
• If England lose here, it will mark one of the fastest Ashes series conclusions in history, with matches ending inside the first three Tests.

The series narrative is clear: Travis Head’s elevation and consistency has been the masterstroke, while Stokes’ exhaustion underscores the physical toll on England, leaving the tourists with slim chances to mount a comeback.