Former England captain Michael Vaughan has stirred debate in the cricket world by asserting that the ongoing India versus Australia series, despite its competitive nature, doesn't match the grandeur and anticipation of the historic Ashes rivalry.
Vaughan's Controversial Stance
Taking to social media platform X, Vaughan expressed his views clearly, stating that while recent India-Australia encounters down under have been highly competitive, they cannot be considered bigger than the Ashes. The former England skipper emphasized that the build-up to the Ashes series in Australia is "absolutely huge" and unmatched by any India-Australia contest.
"No question the India v Aussie series of late down under have been more competitive.. but don't tell they are bigger than an Ashes.. the build up down in Oz for this Ashes is absolutely huge.. you don't get that for an IND v Oz series," Vaughan posted on November 7, 2025.
Current Series Context
The India-Australia series began in October with three ODIs that marked the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to the national squad since their Champions Trophy victory against New Zealand in March. Australia clinched the ODI series 2-1 before the action shifted to the T20 format.
In the ongoing five-match T20I series, India currently leads the hosts 2-1, demonstrating the competitive spirit Vaughan acknowledged. However, the significance of player movements tells another story about priorities.
Ashes Preparation Takes Priority
The importance of the upcoming Ashes series, scheduled to begin later this month, has been highlighted by team selections and player releases. Australian players Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head were released from the T20I squad after playing the initial matches to prepare for the Ashes campaign.
Similarly, India released spinner Kuldeep Yadav from their T20I squad to prepare for the upcoming home series against South Africa, indicating the shifting focus toward other important assignments.
Australia's Ashes Squad Announcement
The Australian selectors have made significant changes to their squad for the first Ashes Test, beginning November 21 at Perth's Optus Stadium. Young opener Sam Konstas has been dropped from the 15-man squad following disappointing performances during the West Indies tour.
Marnus Labuschagne has earned his recall through strong domestic performances for Queensland, where he scored five centuries in seven games across formats. The batting stalwart could return to his preferred No. 3 position after being dropped following Australia's World Test Championship final defeat to South Africa in June.
Australia has also included three uncapped players, with 31-year-old batter Jake Weatherald potentially making his international debut as an opener, replacing the dropped Konstas. Usman Khawaja's recent opening partner managed scores of just 3, 5, 25, 0, 17, and 0 in the Caribbean, leading to his exclusion.
The complete Australian squad for the first Test includes: Steve Smith (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Brendan Doggett, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Jake Weatherald, and Beau Webster.
Vaughan's comments have sparked discussions among cricket enthusiasts about the relative importance of different bilateral series and whether any contest can truly match the historic significance and intensity of the Ashes rivalry that dates back to 1882.
