Rivals Australia and England shift focus to Sydney as the fifth Test of the gripping Ashes Series takes centre stage at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground. The SCG will once again be awash in pink, continuing the tradition of supporting the McGrath Foundation.
Australia wrapped up the Ashes by dominating the opening three Tests, but England arrived with renewed belief after a spirited response in Melbourne that kept the series alive and avoided a whitewash. With momentum shifting and pride on the line, the Sydney finale promises a compelling contest to close an eventful summer.
Read The Betting Professionals’ expert analysis for the 5th Test of Ashes 2025 between Australia vs England, including top cricket betting sites and predictions.
Australia vs England (AUS vs ENG) Match Details, 5th Test - Ashes 2025-26
Series | Ashes 2025-26 |
Series Match No | 5th Test |
Format | Test |
Match Start Date | 4th January 2026 |
Match Time | `10:30 AM (Local)/05:00 AM IST |
Venue | SCG, Moore Ground |
Australia vs England (AUS vs ENG) Match Preview, 5th Test Match - Ashes 2025
Australia Preview
Australia will be keen to respond after suffering their first home defeat to England in the series and will be determined to finish the Ashes on a high with a commanding 4–1 result.
With the bat, it has largely been the Travis Head and Alex Carey show so far, but the hosts will be hoping for bigger contributions from Cameron Green, Marnus Labuschagne, and Steve Smith. The bowling attack, meanwhile, has been spearheaded impressively by Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc.
Head has been the standout performer of the series, emerging as the key difference between the two sides. He has piled up 437 runs at an average of 54.62, scoring at a remarkable strike rate of 84.20.
Usman Khawaja also comes into focus at his home venue, having dominated at the SCG with 975 runs from nine Tests at an outstanding average of 87.5, including four centuries.
With the ball, Boland’s record in Sydney makes him a major threat once again. The Victorian quick has claimed 17 wickets in just two Tests at the venue, averaging an extraordinary 8.35 runs per wicket.
Australia Predicted XI for 5th Ashes Test
Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Michael Neser, Mitchell Starc, Todd Murphy, Scott Boland
England Preview
It has been a long time coming for Joe Root, who has finally tasted Test victory in Australia, as England won Down Under for the first time in a decade—breaking the drought on their 18th attempt.
For England, the batting has been driven by Zak Crawley and Root, while the bowling unit has been lifted by the impressive performances of Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue.
Crawley has been England’s leading run-scorer in the series, amassing 256 runs at an average of 32, striking at a healthy rate of 64.81. Carse has led the bowling charts with 19 wickets at 25.57, striking every 32.73 balls to consistently apply pressure. Tongue, meanwhile, has made an immediate impact—his absence early in the series proving costly—as he has snapped up 12 wickets in just two Tests at an impressive average of 18.58.
England Predicted XI for 5th Ashes Test
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Josh Tongue
Australia vs England (AUS vs ENG) Head to Head in Tests
In the overall head-to-head in Test cricket, Australia hold a clear edge with 155 wins, while England have claimed 113 victories, with 97 matches ending in draws. The gap has narrowed slightly over the last decade, where Australia have recorded 17 wins to England’s eight, alongside four drawn Tests. However, Australia’s dominance has been even more pronounced on home soil since 2015, winning 11 Tests to England’s one, with two matches finishing without a result.
Australia vs England (AUS vs ENG) Pitch Report, 5th Test - Ashes 2025
The Sydney Cricket Ground has been a theatre of iconic Ashes moments in the modern era. From Steve Waugh’s career-defining last-ball century in 2003, to the emotional farewell of legends Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, and Justin Langer in 2007, and the victory lap of the last England side to win a series in Australia in 2011, the SCG has produced no shortage of Ashes memories this century.
Australia head into the Test with strong historical backing, having won 62 of their 113 matches at the venue. Remarkably, they have suffered just two defeats there this century—both against England and both in dead rubbers (2003 and 2011). However, with six of the last 11 SCG Tests ending in draws, all sides will be hoping this storied ground delivers a decisive result once again.
Australia vs England (AUS vs ENG) Betting Odds for 5th Test, Ashes 2025-26
For the fifth Ashes Test of 2025, bookmakers at 1xBet have Australia installed as firm favourites at odds of 1.71. England head into the contest as clear underdogs at 3.22, while the draw is priced at 6.75.
Australia vs England Win Probability
Google’s prediction model favours Australia for the fifth Test, assigning the hosts a 57% chance of victory. England are given a 29% probability of winning, while the chances of the match ending in a draw stand at 14%.
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