Mitchell Starc once again underlined his importance to Australia's pace battery as he spearheaded the bowling effort against England in the fifth and final Test of the 2025-26 Ashes series at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The experienced left-arm fast bowler, currently ranked No. 2 in the ICC Test bowling charts, continued his impressive run in the series by striking early on Day 2 to remove England captain Ben Stokes.
Stokes, batting at No. 6 in England's first innings, endured a brief and forgettable stay at the crease. He was dismissed for a duck after facing 11 deliveries, edging Starc to wicketkeeper Alex Carey on the fifth ball of the 51st over. The dismissal marked the fifth occasion in the ongoing Ashes series that Starc has accounted for Stokes, highlighting
a one-sided contest that has increasingly tilted in the Australian quick's favour.
With that wicket, Starc achieved a significant personal milestone. He has now dismissed Stokes 14 times in Test cricket - the most by any bowler against the England all-rounder. In doing so, Starc moved past 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) complete the list of bowlers who have troubled Stokes most frequently in the longest format.
The wicket was also Starc's 28th of the ongoing Ashes series and the 430th of his Test career. He now stands on the brink of history, requiring at least four more wickets in the match to surpass Sri Lanka legend Rangana Herath and become the most prolific left-arm bowler in Test cricket history. Herath finished his career with 433 wickets from 93 Tests between 1999 and 2018.
While Starc dominated with the ball, England found stability through Joe Root. Widely regarded as England's greatest-ever Test batter, Root reached another landmark by bringing up his 41st Test century on Monday. The Yorkshireman completed his hundred by running two off the first ball of the 60th over, bowled by Michael Neser, reinforcing his stature as one of the modern greats even as Australia maintained the upper hand.
