Have we witnessed the last real Ashes series?

On the last day of July in 2023, we witnessed many lasts. David Warner’s last test away from home; Moeen Ali’s last ball in Test Cricket; and with the last delivery of the series, Stuart Broad’s last wicket. A question that remains unanswered, however, is whether that was the last time we will ever be treated to England facing Australia in the 5 match series we have now become so accustomed to. The answer to that question lies not in the hands of the ICC, Cricket Australia, the ECB or even us the fans. Only superpower India can save us now.

It’s vital to first consider that test cricket is doing everything it possibly can to save itself. It’s as or actually even more entertaining than past decades. Just ask the millions that wake up across the world to support their teams wherever they play. The previous Ashes was a perfect amalgamation of drama, heroics and an exhibition of skill of the highest level all wrapped in the form of a rivalry entrenched in history. The two vastly differing methods to play the same game brought out all the excitement that the longest format has to offer. Bazball - the name given to the new hyper-positive style England employ has brought a new lease of life not just to the underperforming English side, but as other countries aim to mimic the results it brings with it, all the test playing nations. Intent has suddenly become a word that every captain, coach and pundit uses and no longer do we see unnecessary periods of dullness. Brendan McCullum and Ben Stokes have reinvented test cricket and in doing so have done all they can to save it.

However ever since the dawn of the IPL, India’s influence has slowly and then quickly preceded over the biggest shift of power in the game’s history and well and truly brought the Asian century to cricket. The league’s franchises have teams across continents in the MLC, the SA20, the CPL and even the Emirati ILT20. India’s dominance isn’t just on the playing field - making it to the last finals of the World Test Championship, World Cup and Champions Trophy as well as being semi-finalists in the last edition of the World 20-20. This dominance is best shown in the future revenue shares the ICC have published where India are set to earn almost 40%. It is a country of 2 billion cricket fans and so if those two billion lack the passion and desire for test cricket that those in the Ashes playing nations show, the ICC sees no reason to save the format. 

So what is the forecast? Well it's not looking good. Despite many players aiming to clarify their stance on the harrowed nature of test cricket, many others are retiring early or rejecting central contract offers in favour of becoming journeymen globetrotting the world playing T20 cricket for whoever wants them. However, the tradition of test cricket makes it more likely that the middle format is going to be axed. Despite delivering a brilliant World Cup late last year, less and less people are attached to the ODI schedule like they are to the test schedule or the T20 circuit. It must be said that the deep love we have for test cricket will prompt the ICC and by extension the BCCI to save the format.