Australia and England are preparing to clash in the first Test of the Ashes 2023 on June 16 at Edgbaston in Birmingham, three weeks from the start of the series. Australia will face India in the World Test Championship final on June 7 at the Oval in London, preceding the series. In contrast, England will play a one-off Test against Ireland at Lord’s starting on June 1.
The England and Wales Cricket Board unveiled a new England jersey for the five-match series prior to the eagerly anticipated series.
England’s Issy Wong, Kate Cross, and James Anderson can be seen flaunting their new ‘whites’ in a video shared by the cricket board as they prepare for the oldest rivalry in cricket.
ECB shared the video on Twitter with the caption, “Rising for the Ashes. The limited-edition Ashes Test garment is now available. #ENGvAUS.”
Both nations have not yet announced their rosters for the highly anticipated series. Australia has won each of the last three Ashes series by a score of 4-0, most recently in 2017-18 and 2021-22. In 2019, they tied the series at 2-2 and retained the Ashes in England for the first time since 2001.
However, the upcoming series is anticipated to be a close contest between the two teams, as England have dominated Test cricket with their new aggressive style of play under the direction of head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.
Under Stokes’ stewardship, the Three Lions have won ten of their thirteen Tests and lost three. In contrast, Australia finished first in the WTC cycle 2021–23 with a points percentage of 66.67 percent.
Pat Cummins was appointed captain prior to the cycle, as Tim Paine took an indefinite leave of absence due to a controversy. Cummins will seek to continue his incredible run in the WTC final and the Ashes, as he has only lost one series in the entire cycle to India by a score of 2-1.