Ashes heroes Smith & Starc eye Big Bash return

• Ashes stars Starc, Smith, Labuschagne join BBL teams; Starc to Sixers after 11 years.
• Khawaja and Labuschagne to Brisbane Heat; Smith and Murphey to Sydney Sixers.
• Travis Head skips BBL for workload management; Green unavailable, focuses on T20 WC.

After a dominant 4-1 series win in the Ashes 2025-26, the Australian Test players are set to return to the Big Bash League. Cricket Australia has confirmed

the availability of the Ashes heroes, including Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, and Marnus Labuschagne, among several others.

Much of the attention, though, is on Mitchell Starc, who will be donning the Magenta jersey for the Sydney Sixers after a gap of 11 years. The left-arm pacer, who also won the Player of the Series award in the Ashes, cited that he is not too far and is focused to turn out for the Sydney Sixers. He will be available from January 16. 

"I'm certainly not looking two years down the road just yet. I'll pull on the magenta with the man (Smith) next to me(Steve Smith). We'll see if we can help (the Sixers) get to another final. Other than the BBL, I haven't got too many plans other than a bit of golf”, claimed Starc while speaking at a press conference. 

Fresh off claiming the #Ashes 4-1, Mitch Starc and Steve Smith are set to pull on the magenta in #BBL15 🩷 pic.twitter.com/YgH0Ah5efd

— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 8, 2026

Apart from Starc, recently retired Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne are set to join the Brisbane Heat from January 10. Steve Smith, who captained Australia in the absence of Pat Cummins, too, will join the Sydney-based team along with spinner Todd Murphey from January 11. 

Head to prioritise T20 World Cup

While other test stars are joining the BBL, Travis Head will not be playing the tournament as part of the workload management, with selectors keen to manage his schedule after a hectic international schedule. The southpaw had a stellar Ashes, scoring 629 runs at an average of 62.9. 

Cameroon Green, too, will be unavailable as he does not have an active BBL contract. Australia will play their opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on February 11 against Ireland.