The Ashes series between Australia and England is one of the oldest and most celebrated rivalries in the history of cricket. It has produced some of the most thrilling and intense moments in the sport. For over a century, legendary players from both nations have risen to the occasion, defining their careers through performances in this iconic contest. With countless records set and broken, the Ashes remain the pinnacle of Test cricket competition, with players etching their names in history.

Adam Gilchrist names his all-time Ashes XI

In a recent chat with Cricket.com, former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist named his all-time Ashes XI, comprising some of the greatest players who excelled in this high-pressure series. While many of Gilchrist’s selections were expected, his choice of Shane Warne as captain over other notable leaders raised eyebrows, adding a unique touch to his lineup.

Star openers

Gilchrist chose the explosive duo of Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer to open the batting for his all-time Ashes XI. The pair was known for their aggressive yet calculated approach, consistently giving Australia strong starts during their Ashes campaigns.

Hayden made 1461 runs in Ashes matches, averaging 58.93 with five centuries. His combination of brute strength and elegant stroke play made him a nightmare for English bowlers. Similarly, Langer accumulated 1658 runs at an impressive average of 56.62 in Ashes contests, with five centuries. Langer’s determination and resilience often wore down the opposition, and his partnership with Hayden became one of the most productive in Ashes history.

Dynamic middle order featuring Don Bradman

Gilchrist’s middle order is filled with cricketing giants, starting with Don Bradman, widely regarded as the greatest batter of all time. Bradman dominated Ashes series like no one else, amassing 5028 runs at an astonishing average of 89.78, including 19 centuries. His Ashes record remains unmatched to this day, with ‘The Don’ single-handedly demolishing England’s bowling attacks throughout his career.

Ricky Ponting, another Ashes stalwart, compiled 2476 runs at an average of 44.21, including eight centuries. His ability to play both defensively and aggressively made him a key figure in Australia’s dominance over England during his era.

Steve Smith, the modern-day batting sensation, has already cemented his place in Ashes history. With 3417 runs at an outstanding average of 56.01, Smith’s 12 centuries reflect his hunger for runs and ability to adapt in challenging conditions.

Michael Hussey, known for his calmness under pressure, played pivotal roles in Australia’s middle order. Hussey scored 1304 Ashes runs at an average of 59.27, with four centuries. His stability and reliability added immense value to his team in crunch situations.

Gilchrist selected Brad Haddin as the wicketkeeper for his all-time Ashes XI. Haddin, who took over from Gilly, made his mark in Ashes history with his exceptional skills behind the stumps and with the bat. Haddin scored 1366 runs in Ashes contests at an impressive average of 41.31, including three centuries. His Ashes batting performances were crucial, especially during the 2013-14 series when he made several lower-order contributions to help Australia dominate the series.

Also READ: Aussie legend Adam Gilchrist names his three greatest wicket-keeper batters

Brilliant bowling attack

Gilchrist’s Ashes XI features an enviable bowling attack led by Shane Warne, who is not only the captain but also the greatest leg-spinner to grace the Ashes stage. Warne’s influence with the ball and tactical mind makes him the perfect leader of this team.

Warne holds the record for the most wickets in Ashes history with 195 wickets at an average of 23.25. His ability to outfox the English batters, particularly in pivotal moments, made him a match-winner. Dennis Lillee was known for his fiery pace and relentless aggression. He claimed 128 Ashes wickets at an average of 23.32, often delivering crucial breakthroughs for his team.

Glenn McGrath, a master of line and length, terrorized England with his remarkable consistency. McGrath took 157 Ashes wickets at an average of 20.92, cementing his place as one of the most successful bowlers in Ashes history. Mitchell Johnson rounds off the attack with his raw pace and aggression. Johnson’s memorable 2013-14 Ashes series, where he dismantled England’s batting, was a highlight of his career. He claimed 87 wickets in Ashes matches at an average of 25.81.

Also READ: India or Australia? Adam Gilchrist picks the winner of the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25

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Legendary Australian bowler Dennis Lillee is still regarded as one of the best fast bowlers of all time. Lillee ended his cricket career as most wicket-taker in the longest format of the game in 1984. He was extremely quick, and somehow his attractive bowling action played a massive part in his successful career.

Not many in the modern-day cricket bowls with that much of pace as Lillee used to bowl, however, there is one bowler whose action does resemble the Australian great. He is none other than the young Pakistani pacer Naseem Shah.

Naseem is currently playing the three-match Test series opener against England at the Old Trafford in Manchester. During the second day’s play, when Naseem came to bowl, Pakistani fielders were heard addressing him as ‘Lillee Shah’.

The 17-year-old made his international debut last year in Australia and has impressed several cricketing experts with his raw pace. Since Naseem’s bowling action is quite similar to Lillee, he will undoubtedly be hoping to perform in his career exactly the way Australian had done during his glorious career.

Earlier, Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali won the toss and opted to bat first. His decision was taken well by opener Shan Masood (156) who smashed his Test career’s fourth century and played a significant role to bring Pakistan to 326. Apart from Masood, Babar Azam made a well 69 along with all-rounder Shadab Khan who contributed with his 45-run knock.

When it comes to bowling, Pakistan bundled out England for 219 on Day 3, thanks to leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who claimed four wickets. Apart from Yasir, Mohammad Abbas and Shadab Khan bagged two scalps each. While Shaheen Afridi and Naseem picked up one wicket.

Now, Pakistan would be hoping to ride on the advantage by winning the Test in order to take the early lead in the series.

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The game of cricket has witnessed several instances where batsmen have come up with bats of different shapes and sizes.

As a result, the MCC stipulated laws regulating the sizes, weights, length and width of the willows used by cricketers these days.

Here we look at the five glaring instances when bats sparked controversies in cricket history:

5. Black Sparton Bat

During the season of 2005, the Australian captain raised a few eyebrows by bringing in a black willowed Kookaburra Kahuna. Also, other batsmen like Kumar Sangakkara, contracted with the batmakers, played with the willow with a graphite strip on it.

After much scrutiny, the MCC declared the bat as illegal, claiming that bats violated enhancement protocols.

Later, in the 2016 Big Bash League, West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell walked out with a black coloured Spartan bat. It caused a lot of hue and cry on social media regarding the legality of using such bats.

4.) Golden Bat

The ‘Universal Boss’ Chris Gayle ordered a golden Spartan Bat, which was made in India. The explosive Jamaican used the bat during the Big Bash season of 2015. There were claims made about the usage of metal in the bat.

However, Spartan Head Kunal Sharma dismissed all such rumours by stating, “There is no metal in the gold colouring we are using in the bat. There are restrictions on what you can and can’t use in cricket bats,” according to IANS.

3.) Aluminium Bat

After using an aluminium bat in a Test match in Brisbane against West Indies without any complaints, Dennis Lillee did the same against England in the first Ashes Test in 1979.

However, this time around, England captain Mike Brearly repeatedly complained about the state of the ball after being hit by Lillee’s metal blade.

Despite the repeated request from captain Ian Chappell, Lillee paid no heed and continued batting with the aluminium bat. Chappell, finally, had to intervene and replace Lillee’s bat with a wooden willow. An enraged Lillee threw his bat in anger.

2.) Monster Bat

The law of bat widths was regulated after the game between Chertsey and Hambleton in 1771. One of the Chertsey batsmen played with an enormous sized bat in terms of its width.

As a result, Hambleton players were obliged to file a petition against the use of such bats, led by fast bowler Thomas Brett. Later, laws stipulated that the maximum permissible width of the bat to only four and a quarter inches.

1.) Mongoose Bat

The likes of Suresh Raina and Matthew Hayden experimented with the Mongoose bat during the 2010 edition of IPL. The entire blade face was slated to be the meat of the bat in this type of bat.

Hayden’s onslaught against Delhi Daredevils in the third season of IPL was evidence enough of the carnage the oddly shaped bat possessed. He smacked 93 off 43 balls. However, Raina switched back to the traditional willow after facing difficulty in defending deliveries.

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