Legendary Australian pacer Glenn McGrath has boldly predicted a 5-0 clean sweep for Australia in the upcoming 2025-26 home Ashes series, expressing doubt over England’s ability to win even a single Test Down Under. Citing Australia’s formidable bowling attack and England’s poor recent record in Australia, McGrath believes the hosts will once again dominate the iconic contest.

England’s struggles in Australian conditions are well-documented. Their last Ashes Test victory away from home came in the 2010-11 series. Since then, the scorelines have been brutally one-sided – 5-0 in 2013-14, followed by 4-0 wins for Australia in 2017-18 and 2021-22. McGrath attributes this dominance to Australia’s settled and experienced bowling unit, which, despite being in the latter stages of their careers, continues to operate at peak efficiency.

“It’s very rare for me to make a prediction, isn’t it? But I can’t say anything other than 5-0,” Glenn  McGrath told BBC Radio, as quoted by PTI. “When you’ve got Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Nathan Lyon firing in their home conditions, it’s going to be incredibly tough for England. Given their track record here, it will be interesting to see if they can take even one Test.”

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However, McGrath acknowledged that this series will be the first away Ashes for England under the leadership of Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, whose attacking “BazBall” philosophy has revolutionised England’s style of play. The challenge, according to McGrath, will be sustaining that aggressive mindset against Australia’s relentless attack on fast, bouncy pitches.

“Harry Brook has been a standout for me,” Glenn McGrath noted. “He plays fearlessly and takes the game on, so the Aussies will want to target him early. Ben Duckett is another aggressive option, while Zak Crawley will be eager to improve on past tours. I love watching players perform without fear – that’s what Baz is encouraging. Still, I’d like to see a bit more accountability and mental sharpness in their approach.”

One of the biggest subplots will be Joe Root’s quest for a maiden Test century in Australia. Despite being the second-highest run-scorer in Test history, Root has yet to reach three figures Down Under.

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“This is a huge series for Root,” Glenn McGrath said. “He’s never managed a hundred here, and I’m sure that will be driving him. He’s in fine touch, and Australia will be wary of him.”

With high stakes, contrasting styles, and history on the line, the 2025-26 Ashes is shaping up to be an unmissable cricketing battle.