The much-anticipated Ashes battle is returning to Australian soil this December to the delight of cricket fans across the world.
Australia and England's best cricketers will duel it out across five Tests through the summer Down Under.
Dating back to 1883, the Ashes Series has taken place every two years so showcase the battle between Australia and England. The last Ashes Series back in 2019 ended in a draw. Previously, Australia won the title, so they continue to be the reigning champion heading into this year's series.
Both teams are off to hot starts this 2021 season. Australia just recently won the T20 World Cup, and England won the Cricket World Cup this year as well. Currently, Australia ranks No. 3 and England ranks No. 4.
Sporting News has all the details about the upcoming Ashes series.
The Ashes schedule 2021
The Ashes series takes place in five different locations over the course of about a month. At each location, the teams will compete for five days during each test, competing in games each day. Here's the schedule of when and where the tests will occur.
| Date | Venue | Time |
| December 8-12 | The Gabba, Brisbane | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| December 16-20 | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide | 11:00 p.m. ET |
| December 26-30 | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne | 6:30 p.m. ET |
| January 5-9, 2022 | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney | 6:30 p.m. ET |
| January 14-18, 2022 | Optus Stadium, Perth* | 9:30 p.m. ET |
*The fifth Test is in doubt of going ahead in Perth due to the ongoing border restrictions in WA.
The Ashes results 2021
| Test | Result |
| First Test (Brisbane) | - |
| Second Test (Adelaide) | - |
| Third Test (Melbourne) | - |
| Fourth Test (Sydney) | - |
| Fifth Test (Perth) | - |
What are the past Ashes series results?
| Series | Season | Winner | Result |
| Australia in England | 2019 | Draw | 2-2 |
| England in Australia | 2017/18 | Australia | 4-0 |
| Australia in England | 2015 | England | 3-2 |
| England in Australia | 2013/14 | Australia | 5-0 |
| Australia in England | 2013 | England | 3-0 |
How to watch The Ashes cricket series in the USA
- TV channel: Willow.tv
- Live stream: YouTube TV, Sling TV, DirecTV Now, Hulu with Live TV
Willow TV is a streaming service solely dedicated to showing overseas cricket matches. They offer a $9.99/month or $60/year subscription. Willow is offered through Dish, Sling, Spectrum, Fiox, Xfinity, Optimum, Google Fiber and Altice One.
Additionally, various streaming services offer ways for viewers in the United States to watch The Ashes series. None of the streaming options require a cable subscription, although all of them cost a monthly cost after their free trial.
| Streaming option | Cable subscription needed? | Free? | Cost | Free Trial? |
| YouTube TV | No | No | $65/month | Yes |
| Sling TV | No | No | $30/month | Yes |
| Direct TV Now | No | No | $55/month | Yes |
| Hulu with Live TV | No | No | $55/month | Yes |
What is The Ashes?
The unique name of this cricket series arose following Australia's first victory on English land in 1882.
One British media publication at the time wrote that English cricket had died at the Oval and "the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia."
This year marks the 72nd installment of The Ashes.
Australia and England alternate between hosting the series and being tourists.
How big is The Ashes trophy?
Put simply, it is very small.
Known as the Ashes Urn, it stands only 4.3 inches (110mm) tall and has become a recognizable sporting symbol in both England and Australia.
What have Ashes greats said about the series?
Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist spoke on Australian radio station SEN, and said that Australia will have the edge heading to the first Test.
"Australia stack up well as favourites, with our bowling line-up and slightly more consistency in the batting," Gilchrist said.
"They (England) have been brittle in the top order and rely on people to save them rather than constructing good team innings."
Retired English captain Michael Vaughan is also expecting Australia to take care of business when he spoke candidly to the ABC.
"This series could be 5-0," Vaughan said.
"It could be 5-0 because you've got to be realistic, because [in] the last four tours of Australia, England has lost 5-0 twice, 4-0 once and they obviously won in 2010/11, 3-1."
Sporting News Australia contributed to the article.