Just 48 hours to go.
The English side's first Test in Australia begins on the morning of Friday.
With the help of cricket statistics experts, we explore where the highly awaited Ashes series in years could be won and lost.
It's tough to make runs, isn't it?
Batsmen on both teams of the Ashes divide might be questioning why they are bothering to turn up.
Much of the build-up has centred around the perceived challenge of scoring runs, especially for the opening match on a Perth pitch described as a "green monster".
When it comes to batting in Australia, especially against pace bowling, no country has been more difficult in which to score runs over the past five years.
There are two reasons for this: pitches and cricket balls.
Overall, the surfaces prepared in Australia have recently proved to be the fastest, highest bouncing and among the least predictable in the world.
Pace and variable bounce are the perfect recipe for difficult batting conditions.
A common belief from English cricket paints the Kookaburra cricket ball used in this country as a useless tool for a fast bowler.
An updated model of the Kookaburra was introduced six years ago, resulting in more seam movement.
Seam bowling is a much bigger weapon than swing in this country.
Since the new Kookaburra, fast bowlers are conceding 25 runs per wicket in Australia.
Test cricket is about problem solving.
When bowlers dominate, performances of batters can be the difference, and vice-versa.
Should this series be dominated by the ball, a batsman could have the chance to be the difference between the two teams.
What’s happening with the Australia seamers?
On this occasion, England have toured Australia with their pace attack largely intact, while the home side are the ones hit by injuries.
Skipper Pat Cummins will be absent for the opening match with a back issue, and Josh Hazlewood is unavailable for an unspecified time because of a hamstring problem.
Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Starc were first paired as a trio for the 2017-18 Ashes.
From that point, they have taken together 81% of the wickets taken by Australian fast bowlers in matches in Australia.
The Australian team have rarely had to look elsewhere because of the effectiveness and durability of the 'big three'.
On the occasions Australia have needed a back-up, Boland has been sensational, taking 62 wickets in 14 matches at an average under 17.
Aside from Boland, other bowlers of the backup squad have stepped up.
Neser, Richardson and James Pattinson all average below 30 in home Tests.
The most recent occasion Australia entered a home match without Cummins and Hazlewood, and lost, was in the year 2012.
The past two times they have competed in Australia without the duo, they have triumphed by a combined 694 runs, featuring a win against England in Adelaide four years ago.
In infrequent cases Australia have had to go past their star fast bowlers, results have not been affected – The tourists should pay attention.
Challenging Openings
Remember when England could not find an opening batsman to go alongside Alastair Cook?
Cook went through partners faster than Watford go through managers.
Not anymore.
Ever since Duckett and Zak Crawley were united at the top of the England order at the close of 2022, no batting partnership in the world has scored more runs together.
Their success as a partnership has been a factor in Crawley being supported through some inconsistent times.
The Kent man, who memorably hit the initial delivery of the previous Ashes for a boundary, has also been identified as having the technique for Australia.
His average rises when the pace increases.
In comparison, the Australian opening lineup is in a ongoing change, still seeking to fill the David Warner-shaped hole.
After Warner's retirement at the beginning of 2024, Khawaja has walked out with five different partners in 15 Tests.
Uncapped Jake Weatherald appears likely to become the sixth in 16 Tests on the opening day, giving Australia an all-left-handed opening pair.
It is not just the openers that has caused problems for Australia.
Marnus Labuschagne, Australia's long-term number three, was moved to open for the World Test Championship final, then dropped entirely.
Domestic form has brought him back, probably back at three.
In seven Tests in 2025, Australia's top three have a combined average of 25.37.
Only the opening trios of Zimbabwe and West Indies have done worse.
Battle of Spin
Between two closely matched sides, there is a single department where Australia are clearly stronger – spin bowling.
Australia's Nathan Lyon, with 562 Test wickets of him, is one of the finest finger-spin bowlers to play the game.
England's Shoaib Bashir is a somewhat successful gamble, looking short of form after a finger injury, while Will Jacks is primarily a batter.
It would seem logical for the home team to want Nathan Lyon at the front, but spin bowling has been incredibly hard work in Australia for the last decade.
In that time, spinners have averaged nearly 44 in Australia, though Lyon's statistics holds up well compared to the difficulties of visiting tweakers.
Another challenge for Lyon is actually bowling enough overs.
Recall the potency of pace bowling?
It is reducing Lyon's time with the ball.
In the 2017-18 Ashes here, Nathan Lyon was averaging 50 overs per Test.
In the previous year, in five Tests against India, it was only half as many.
Test matches in Australia are lasting about 25% less time since the updated ball was brought in, meaning Lyon has fewer opportunities to influence the game.
Right place, right time?
England have a unfortunate tendency of being defeated in an overseas Ashes before Father Christmas has set off.
Traditionally, the series traditionally started in Brisbane, where they have not won since the year 1986.
In recent times, that has been followed by a day-night Test in Adelaide.
The visitors have one win in seven day-night matches worldwide, while Australia have won 13 out of 14.
Then on to Perth, a venue England have visited on 14 occasions since 1970 and won only once, against a depleted Australia in 1978.
On this tour, the first three stops on the tour are the identical, only in a different order and under different circumstances.
Perth stages an Ashes opener for the first occasion, not at the famous Waca – scene of many an England humbling – but the modern Perth Stadium.
It is still a difficult task, though one the visitors tackle with no past burdens.
The Gabba is the venue for the second Test, the day-nighter.
The last time Australia played a day-night Test at the Gabba, they were surprised by the West Indies.
Similarly, the Australians are now not used to playing day matches at the usual day-night venue Adelaide Oval.
Across two traditional Tests played in the Adelaide since 2014, Australia lost one, to India, in 2018.
The revised fixture list gives England a new opportunity at beginning an overseas series positively, though with risks.
The home side have secured victory in four of the five Tests played at Perth Stadium, though the single loss came in the latest game – against India last year.
Every Test at the new venue has been won by the team batting first.
The English often overthink floodlit Tests, when data indicate the pink cricket ball does not behave very differently from its traditional red ball.
The issue in {day-night matches|
