The Ashes 2025: Cricket Australia Announces Test Schedule, Gabba-Perth Opener; Warner Reacts

The Ashes 2025 Test Schedule: Perth to Host Opener, Gabba in Round Two

Cricket Australia has announced a significant change in The Ashes 2025 Test match schedule by moving the first Test from Brisbane’s Gabba to Perth’s WACA ground. This shift continues the recent trend of starting Australia’s summer cricket fixtures in Perth rather than the traditional venue at the Gabba.

Former Australian opener David Warner expressed his dissatisfaction with this new schedule. He explained that the players raised concerns about why the Gabba was no longer hosting the first Test of the summer. Warner highlighted the perceived contradiction in Cricket Australia’s approach, noting that while the team is urged to “win at all costs,” moving away from the Gabba does not align with that philosophy.

Warner remarked, “It was a weird one … at that time, the Australian group was addressed by the CA hierarchy saying that it’s win at all costs, so why are we moving away from the Gabba?” He emphasized the significance of tradition and home-ground advantage, referencing the Gabba’s unbeaten record when hosting Tests. Warner acknowledged Perth’s quality but questioned the logic behind losing the psychological edge offered by Brisbane.

Mitchell Starc also voiced that players prefer opening the series at Brisbane. He criticized Cricket Australia, suggesting that player preferences were overlooked in the scheduling decisions. Meanwhile, former England captain Michael Vaughan blamed Australia’s recent batting failures on performance rather than venue. He stated, “Australia has to be honest with themselves … it has nothing to do with where they’ve started, they’ve just not played well enough and have been blown away by pace bowling.”

The confirmed fixture list for The Ashes 2025 is as follows:

1. First Test – Perth (WACA)
2. Second Test – Brisbane (Gabba)
3. Third Test – Melbourne (MCG)
4. Fourth Test – Sydney (SCG)
5. Fifth Test – Adelaide (Adelaide Oval)

The series will feature a day/night Test at the Gabba, continuing Australia’s tradition with pink-ball cricket at the venue. Warner’s criticisms also hinted at possible financial or political influences behind fixtures, though these claims remain unconfirmed. As The Ashes approaches, Australia aims to reconcile scheduling plans with player preferences to strengthen team performance in home conditions.