2023 Ashes Report Card

The 2023 Ashes between England and Australia was one of the most enthralling Test series in recent memory, with the two sides trading blows across the last six weeks and each of the five Tests going down to the wire.

The visitors established an early 2-0 lead by winning two nail-biters at Edgbaston and Lord’s, but England flipped the script post the third Test in Headingley to level the series at 2-2, with only bad weather in Manchester preventing Ben Stokes’ side from completing a miraculous comeback. From Ben Stokes’ heroics to Mitchell Starc’s thunderbolts, the 2023 Ashes were littered with stunning individual performances across the five Tests, and here is our report card for the series.

Zak Crawley – 8/10

Zak Crawley smashed a booming cover drive off the first delivery of the 2023 Ashes – a show of aggression was a sign of things to come in the five Tests as the opener enjoyed a breakout series. Headlined by his sensational century at Old Trafford, Crawley finished as England’s highest run-getter, scoring 480 runs at an average over 50 and a strike rate of 88 against the premier bowling attack in world cricket.

Usman Khawaja – 9/10

Troubled with the toughest task in the Australian line-up, facing the new ball in predominantly cloudy, swinging conditions, Usman Khawaja delivered a performance for the ages in the 2023 Ashes. The left-handed opener displayed tremendous skill and craft, scoring the most runs by an Australian opener in an Ashes series in England since 1997, finishing with 496 at an average of 49.6.

Chris Woakes and Mark Wood – 9/10

The introduction of Chris Woakes and Mark Wood in the third Test at Headingley changed the complexion of the series, adding variety and skill to the English bowling attack to back up their might with the bat. Wood shook up the visitors with a sensational 5/34 in the first innings at Leeds, rattling Australia with his pace, while Woakes ended the series with an incredible 19 wickets in just six innings at a phenomenal average of 18.16.

Pat Cummins – 6/10

Despite leading his side to a 2-2 draw and helping Australia retain the Ashes in England, it was a mixed series for skipper Pat Cummins. Cummins’ 18 wickets in the series came at an average of 37.7, while his captaincy in the final three Tests left a lot to be desired as Australia seemed to be caught off-guard by England’s aggressive approach with the bat.

Stuart Broad – 8/10

In what turned out to be his farewell series, Stuart Broad displayed the qualities that made him a champion bowler in red-ball cricket. Despite bowling on some flat tracks that offered little movement, the 37-year-old tormented the Australian batting unit with his skill and relentless accuracy. The veteran seamer was also the only English bowler to play all five Tests and finished as the hosts’ highest-wicket-taker in the series with 22 scalps at an average of 28.41.