It is going to start again this year and when it does, it shall command the interest of tens of thousands around the world. The intrepid cricket fan as also the new-age, app-hopping, fan who makes wallpapers out AI for he’s pressed for time and stays up late at night wondering what was it about in the Seventies and Eighties that they still don’t stop talking about Gavaskar and Holding, Marshall and Thompson in this IPL era? But truth be told, the Ashes is not just any cricket series; it is a celebration of rivalry at the highest level of the sport. A rivalry that has seen cricketers excelling, contests peaking, verbals flying from behind the stumps as also on the 22 yards and bouncers felling batters and no fewer than 5 triple centuries smashed in these glorious years. Few contests capture the spirit, history, and emotion of cricket the way that an Australia versus England does- or ever will. It has earned its place as one of the most famous and respected rivalries in the game, and it is likely to remain that way for generations. Anyone who learns even the basics of cricket soon discovers how deeply this series is connected to the sport’s identity. After all, England and Australia have been facing each other in the Ashes contests for more than 137 years. That is no small amount of time. It is a time span that shows just how enduring and meaningful the competition has become. That being said, the maiden Ashes series took place in 1882, following Australia’s surprising victory over England at The Oval. This historic ground in London, known for its beauty and rich cricketing atmosphere, and one where (earlier this year) Siraj magic paved way for India’s thrilling win over the English hosts, is where the Ashes rivalry first took shape.
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But just how did it all begin?
At that time, a joking newspaper article said English cricket had “died” and that its ashes would be taken to Australia. Extreme, serious words, that would surely have compelled too many to not smell the underlying humour in otherwise serious interplay of words. However, on the contrary, and for real, it stuck on.
Died? Death? And Cricket field- what may have been the connection or a tiny morsel of meaning in that, one may have wondered.
But that was just the start, and “the Ashes”- would turn heads much like wildfires rising in the amazon. Something revolutionary was about to begin and gain further traction as it did to an extent that even those for whom Indian cricket or Proteas cricket, for instance, is the beginning and end of the sport, stay awake and watch with unrelenting interest this rivalry between two cricketing powerhouses.
What ought to be noted and mustn’t be denied is that decades have turned into centuries but the cult of the Ashes, a bonafide cricketing hero (in its own right) hasn’t withered away.
Or has it?
Every year, we think to ourselves and when not, mutter and argue with the sales manager, bootstrap startup owner, writer, pianist, best friend, brother, engineer, homemaker, vegetable seller in our own special or unique ways, about what might become of the Ashes and what ‘could’ happen.
This was true for the days of the great Thompson, Border, Lillee and later on, Warne, McGrath, Lee, Waugh Brothers and Ponting. It was also true for Watto, Clarke, Hussey, Johnson and now we can see and endlessly fascinate about- Cummins, Hazlewood, Warner, Marsh and company.
On the other hand, the focus perhaps from a biased Indian lens ought to- as far as one can debate logically- stays with the Aussies to win the Ashes. England, lest it is forgotten, were our colonial masters.
And I can say this just for myself. With much integrity and malice toward none in the brand.
Since then, the Ashes has grown into a major event that cricket fans around the world look forward to. It is played as a Test series, usually across five matches, and happens roughly every two years. Over time, many great cricketers have taken part, and the series has seen close finishes, dramatic comebacks, and memorable individual performances.
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But let us talk of dominance, shall we?
So far, 71 Ashes series have been completed. Australia have won 34 of them, which gives the Kangaroos a slight lead over the Poms. England have won 32 series, showing how closely the teams are matched. Five series have ended in a draw, which also shows how competitive these matches can be.
Even after more than a century, the Ashes remains special because of its long history, strong emotions, and the pride both nations feel when they compete. Forget not, the banter that flows and makes social media headlines, giving in the process keyboard warriors a reason for existence!