Head? Stokes? Starc? Pick your team of the Ashes

Do Travis Head (left), Ben Stokes (centre) and Mitchell Starc (right) make your XI?
- Published
Australia have retained the Ashes and lead England 3-1 heading into the fifth Test, but who makes your combined team of the series?
Players from both sides have impressed so we want to know who you would put into an XI.
We've split the side into four categories: openers, middle order (including all-rounders), wicketkeeper and bowlers. We've given you all the stats, up to and including the day of publication (4 January), to help you make your decision.
The results will be revealed on the BBC Sport website, The Ashes Debrief and on the TMS podcast later in the Test.
Opening batters
Pick two of the players in the vote below to be your openers.
Jake Weatherald: Innings: eight, runs: 146, average: 20.85, centuries: none
Travis Head: Innings: eight, runs: 437, average: 54.62, centuries: two
Zak Crawley: Innings: nine, runs: 272, average: 30.22, centuries: none
Ben Duckett: Innings: nine, runs: 160, average: 17.77, centuries: none
Middle order/all-rounders
Select four of the players in the vote below to fulfil slots three to six in your team.
Usman Khawaja: Innings: five, runs: 153, average: 30.60, centuries: none
Marnus Labuschagne: Innings: eight, runs: 174, average: 24.85, centuries: none
Steve Smith: Innings: six, runs: 136, average: 45.33, centuries: none
Cameron Green: Innings: six, runs: 112, average: 18.66; wickets: three, average: 71.66
Josh Inglis: Innings: three, runs: 65, average: 21.66, centuries: none
Ollie Pope: Innings: six, runs: 125, average: 20.83, centuries: none
Joe Root: Innings: nine, runs: 306, average: 43.71, centuries: one
Harry Brook: Innings: nine, runs: 310, average: 44.28, centuries: none
Ben Stokes: Innings: eight, runs: 183, average: 22.87, wickets: 13, average: 21.69
Will Jacks: Innings: five, runs: 118, average: 23.60, wickets: four, average: 61.50
Jacob Bethell: Innings: three, runs: 51, average: 17, centuries: none
Wicketkeepers
Select one of the players in the vote below to fulfil slot seven in your team.
Alex Carey: Innings: six, runs: 291, average: 48.50, dismissals: 25
Jamie Smith: Innings: eight, runs: 139, average: 19.85, dismissals: 13
Bowlers
Select four of the players in the vote below to fulfil slots eight to 11 in your team.
Mitchell Starc: Matches: five, wickets: 27, average: 18.74, strike-rate: 27.51; runs: 151
Scott Boland: Matches: five, wickets: 17, average: 24.47, strike-rate: 43
Pat Cummins: Matches: one, wickets: six, average: 19.50, strike-rate: 34
Brendan Doggett: Matches: two, wickets: seven, average: 30.71, strike-rate: 41.42
Michael Neser: Matches: three, wickets: 11, average: 20, strike-rate: 31.81
Nathan Lyon: Matches: two, wickets: five, average: 31.40, strike-rate: 66
Jhye Richardson: Matches: one, wickets: two, average: 15, strike-rate: 28
Jofra Archer: Matches: three, wickets: nine, average: 27.11, strike-rate: 53.33, runs: 102
Brydon Carse: Matches: five, wickets: 19, average: 25.57, strike-rate: 32.73
Gus Atkinson: Matches: three, wickets: six, average: 47.33, strike-rate: 73
Josh Tongue: Matches: three, wickets: 12, average: 18.58, strike-rate: 28.16
Mark Wood: Matches: one, wickets: none, average: N/A, strike-rate: N/A
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- Published16 August 2025
