Ashes 2025-26: England to stick to old Bazball for New Year's Test

Published - 02 Jan 2026, 17:37 IST | Updated - 02 Jan 2026, 17:50 IST

Todd Murphy has emerged as the frontrunner to lead Australia's spin attack at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the fifth Test of the Ashes 2025-26, which will be played from Sunday, January 4. However, English opener Zak Crawley isn't bothered at all, and has reaffirmed that the visitors will be sticking to their beloved Bazball technique in a contest where they play for pride and nothing else, having already lost the series.

Crawley, in an interaction with the reporters ahead of the New Year's Test, reiterated that England go by one playing philosophy regardless of the result, and they have no plans to change that ahead of the SCG encounter. Thus, having Todd Murphy, or any other bowler for that matter, would not mean that the Englishmen prepare to play with a revamped approach.

"Whoever plays, I think that's the mantra of our team, is to try to put pressure on people. Todd's a very good bowler, but I can envisage us trying to put some pressure on him, like we would all their bowlers. That's going to come with some risks, and if it's turning it, it's definitely going to be a threat," Crawley was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

Ashes: Pitch curator confident of Day 5 action in SCG Test

For the unversed, Murphy has come to the fore since Nathan Lyon was ruled out of the Ashes with a hamstring injury during the third Test at the Adelaide Oval. He could not take further part in the match after pulling his hamstring early on Day 2, and has been subsequently ruled out of cricket for an indefinite, but a prolonged period.

Murphy will look to make a mark in the final match of the series, since he has all the freedom in the world to express himself, with the Aussies already 3-1 up. England, on the other hand, will be looking to take down the charge against the off-spinner, making it a mouthwatering contest between the two in an epic series finale.

England squad for 5th Ashes Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Brydon Carse, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir