England's hopes of regaining the Ashes urn in Australia are hanging by a thread after the tourists slumped to a second heavy defeat in Brisbane. The hosts secured an eight-wicket victory inside four days at the Gabba to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
A Daunting Historical Challenge
The scale of the task facing Ben Stokes's side is monumental. To win the series from this position, England must achieve a feat only accomplished once before in Ashes history. The sole precedent was set by a Don Bradman-inspired Australia on home soil back in the 1930s. The comprehensive nature of both defeats, first in Perth and now in Brisbane, has left England searching for answers as the action moves to Adelaide.
When and Where is the Next Ashes Test?
All eyes now turn to the day-night third Test at the Adelaide Oval. The match is scheduled to begin on Wednesday 17 December 2025 and is set to run until Sunday 21 December. After the pink-ball experiment in Brisbane, the series reverts to traditional red-ball cricket under floodlights.
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the daily start time will be 11.30pm GMT on Tuesday 16 December, with play commencing at the local time in South Australia. This match represents England's last realistic chance to ignite a fightback before the traditional Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
How to Watch the Ashes in the UK
TNT Sports holds the exclusive live broadcast rights for the 2025/26 Ashes series in the UK. Coverage of every ball from Adelaide will be shown live on their channels and streaming platforms. The broadcaster's production plans, which involve presenting some coverage from a studio in the UK rather than on-site in Australia, have previously drawn criticism from some fans and pundits.
Full 2025/26 Ashes Schedule
The remaining fixtures for the series are as follows:
- Third Test: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide – 17-21 December (11.30pm GMT, 16 Dec)
- Fourth Test: Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) – 26-30 December (11.30pm GMT, 25 Dec)
- Fifth Test: Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) – 4-8 January (11.30pm GMT, 3 Jan)
With the series on the line, England must produce a performance of immense character and skill in Adelaide to keep their dreams of an away Ashes victory alive.
