Mitchell Starc once again reaffirmed his value to Australia’s formidable pace attack, leading the bowling charge against England in the fifth and final Test of the 2025–26 Ashes series at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The experienced left-arm quick, currently ranked No. 2 in the ICC Test bowling rankings, made an immediate impact on Day 2 by striking early to dismiss England captain Ben Stokes. Batting at No. 6 in England’s first innings, Stokes endured a brief and forgettable stay at the crease, departing for a duck after facing 11 deliveries. He edged Starc to wicketkeeper Alex Carey on the fifth ball of the 51st over.

The dismissal underlined Starc’s growing dominance over the England all-rounder. It marked the fifth time in the ongoing Ashes series that Starc has removed Stokes, highlighting a one-sided battle that has consistently swung in the Australian fast bowler’s favour.

The wicket also carried significant personal weight for Starc. He has now dismissed Stokes 14 times in Test cricket, the most by any bowler against the England captain. In doing so, Starc overtook former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who had dismissed Stokes 13 times before retiring from Test cricket in December 2024. Nathan Lyon (10 dismissals) and Ravindra Jadeja (8) are the next most successful bowlers against Stokes in the longest format.

Starc’s scalps continue to mount. The breakthrough was his 28th wicket of the ongoing Ashes series and the 430th of his Test career. He now sits on the cusp of history, needing four more wickets in the match to surpass Sri Lanka legend Rangana Herath and become the most successful left-arm bowler in Test cricket history. Herath finished his career with 433 wickets from 93 Tests between 1999 and 2018.

While Starc dictated terms with the ball, England found some resistance through Joe Root. Widely regarded as one of England’s greatest-ever Test batters, Root reached yet another milestone by bringing up his 41st Test century on Monday. He completed the hundred by running two off the first ball of the 60th over, bowled by Michael Neser, reaffirming his standing among the modern greats even as Australia continued to hold the upper hand.

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