The England and Australia Ashes series is cricket’s greatest rivalry. Every few years, these two countries battle for a tiny urn that signifies much more than the actual win or loss. England’s 2009 win and the series in 2023 demonstrate how much the sport of cricket has changed over 14 years.
The 2009 Victory
After losing 2006-07, England retained the Ashes in 2009, winning 2-1 at home, which was backed up by many cricket betting sites back then. This wasn’t just another series win. This was a moment that delighted millions of English cricket fans who had endured setbacks at the hands of their oldest and most powerful rivals.
Andrew Strauss led England as captain and with the bat. He scored more than 474 runs across the series. But numbers don’t tell the whole story. Strauss played Test cricket the way it had been played for many years. He was patient, watched the ball closely, and focused on making big scores.
Stuart Broad announced himself as a world-class bowler in this series. The young fast bowler had talent, but in 2009, he showed he could win matches at the highest level. His performance at The Oval in the final Test was extraordinary. He took important wickets when England needed them most. Broad didn’t bowl particularly fast, and he didn’t try anything too fancy. He just hit the right areas and made the ball move just enough to trouble batsmen. It was classic English bowling in English conditions.
And then there was Andrew Flintoff playing his last series before retirement. Despite carrying injuries that would end his career, he gave everything he had. At Lord’s, the most famous ground in cricket, he took five wickets in an innings that turned the match in England’s favour. Watching Flintoff charge in ball after ball despite obvious pain inspired his teammates and thrilled the crowds.
His courage and skill were what the Ashes mean to English cricket. England’s approach in 2009 was based on solid ground, with specific plans for each Australian batsman. They bowled in partnerships, built pressure over long periods. The batsmen stayed at the crease, wore down the Australian bowlers, and waited for bad balls to score from. It wasn’t always entertaining to watch, but it worked.
The team also prepared mentally for the unique pressure of Ashes cricket. They knew Australia would try to get in their heads as they always did. But England stayed calm and stuck to their plans. When Australia’s players tried to get under their skin with verbals, England’s players just ignored them and played their natural game.
The 2023 Series
In 2023, England was playing a different kind of cricket against the same opponent. Under the captaincy of Ben Stokes and coaching of Brendon McCullum, they were playing ultra-aggressive cricket, which became known as Bazball (named after McCullum’s nickname). The series ended 2-2 — so Australia retained the Ashes, but England’s cricket shocked the world.
‘Bazball’ threw out the rulebook. Instead of batting carefully, England’s players were told to attack from ball one. While Australia were scoring freely, England kept attacking fields to try and make wickets instead of setting defensive fields. The idea was simple: instead of waiting for things to happen, make things happen and score so fast you put pressure on the opposition.
This had worked a treat before the Ashes. England had won 11 of their last 13 Tests playing this way. Players who had struggled for years were suddenly world-beaters. The team was having fun again, and the crowds loved watching them. But Australia was a different proposition altogether.
The 2023 series produced some incredible cricket. England scored runs at rates never seen in Test cricket. There were sessions where they scored over 100 runs, treating world-class Australian bowlers like club cricketers. Ben Stokes played innings that will be remembered for decades, attacking when conventional wisdom said to defend.
But this aggressive approach also had its problems. England’s batsmen made unnecessary dismissals through their shots. They threw away good positions trying to score even faster. At times, it seemed that winning the game was second to entertaining the crowd. Under Pat Cummins’ leadership, Australia remained cool and took advantage of England’s overstepping.
Usman Khawaja’s innings was a brilliant reminder that classic batting has its place. As England scored fast, Khawaja was slow and steady, with inner strength, frustrating England’s bowlers and building big runs that win Test matches. Mitchell Starc, Australia’s left-arm fast bowler, turned England’s attacking fields against them, finding the gaps and boundaries as England left too many fielders in catching positions.
The weather played a part, too. Unlike 2009, when conditions clearly favored England, the 2023 summer was generally good for batting. This meant England’s aggressive approach could work, but it also meant Australia’s batsmen could score heavily when they got in. The series became a contest between England’s revolutionary approach and Australia’s adaptable traditionalism.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for England?
The next Ashes series is in Australia in 2025-26, and England has big decisions to make. James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who played in both 2009 and 2023, have retired. England needs new bowlers who can take 20 wickets in a match, but young bowlers today grow up playing more white ball cricket than Test cricket.
Playing ‘Bazball’ in Australia will be different from playing it in England. Australian pitches are harder and bounce more. The grounds are bigger, making it harder to hit boundaries. The weather is more predictable, giving less help to bowlers. England will need to adapt without losing what makes them dangerous.
There’s also the question of balance. The 2023 series showed that pure aggression isn’t always enough against the top teams. But going back to the conservative cricket of 2009 might not work either. Modern players aren’t trained for that style, and audiences won’t watch it. England needs to find a middle ground that combines the best of both.
Young players coming through the system are naturally aggressive because of T20 cricket’s influence. But they’ll need to learn some old-fashioned skills to succeed in Australia. Facing extreme pace on bouncy pitches requires solid defense. Batting in the heat for long durations requires physical and mental endurance. The England coaches must teach those traditional skills — but also hold on to the positive mindset that has transformed this team.
