Australia vs England, 5th Ashes Test 2025-26: Preview, when and where to watch in India?

The 2025-26 Ashes series concludes with the New Year’s Test at the SCG, where Australia leads 3-1 after a historic England victory in Melbourne. Usman Khawaja will play his final Test in Sydney.

Usman Khawaja will play his final Test match in Sydney. Image | cricket.com.au

The 2025-26 Ashes series reaches its grand finale as the traditional New Year’s Test gets underway at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). While Australia has already retained the urn, the series stands at an intriguing 3-1 with England carrying massive momentum after a historic victory in Melbourne.

Match details

Match: Australia vs England, 5th Test, Ashes 2025-26

Dates: January 4 to January 8, 2026

Venue: 5:00 AM IST

Read Also: Australian Open 2026: When and where to watch in India?

Where can I watch Australia vs England, 5th Test, Ashes 2025-26 online?

Cricket fans in India can watch the Australia vs England, 5th Test, Ashes 2025-26 on SonyLIV, via OTTplay Premium.

Past results & series recap

Australia dominated the early stages of the summer, showcasing clinical home performances to reclaim the Ashes in record time.

Match preview

The 5th Test is affectionately known as the "Pink Test" in support of the McGrath Foundation. Australia will be desperate to prove that the MCG collapse was a fluke and finish the series with a dominant 4-1 scoreline. England, playing their best "Bazball" cricket, will look to double down and secure a 3-2 result, which would significantly heal the wounds of their early series defeats.

The SCG traditionally offers more for the spinners than other Australian tracks, which could make the final days of this Test the most tactical of the entire summer.

Read also: The 10 future stars to watch: Top 'wonderkids' of the ICC U19 World Cup 2026

Team News

Steve Smith continues as the Australian captain, as Pat Cummins is rested for the remainder of the series to manage his workload.

The biggest story is Usman Khawaja who has officially announced that this Sydney Test will be his final international appearance. Australia is expected to stick with a similar lineup, though Cameron Green is under pressure following a lean run with the bat.

England have named a 12-man squad. Gus Atkinson is out with a hamstring injury, and Matthew Potts is his likely replacement.

In a major tactical shift, off-spinner Shoaib Bashir has been included and could make his Ashes debut if the pitch looks dry, marking England's first use of a specialist spinner this series.

Read also: Mission 2026: Three records that Virat Kohli can break in 2026

Squads:

England: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue.

Australia: Steve Smith (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, Beau Webster.

Share