The Ashes: England right to stick to Plan A with batters' prep, says Alec Stewart

England have made one change to their side for the second Test, and we hear from batter Ollie Pope. Plus, Michael Vaughan and Phil Tufnell bring their pre-Test predictions.

Michael Vaughan, Glenn McGrath and Melinda Farrell join Mark Chapman to preview the second Test of the Ashes in Brisbane. Is this now or never for bazball? Can England adapt to the pink ball? How do both sides bowling attacks look? Could England turn to a spinner? Australia have had staggering pink ball success but their only day-night loss came at the Gabba. Plus, Mitchell Starc is just three wickets away from surpassing Wasim Akram as the most successful left-arm quick in the history of the game.

Every weekday during the 2025-26 Ashes, comedian and statistician Andy Zaltzman poses new a cricketing conundrum. It won’t be easy though. You might want to take it away, share in your group chats and challenge your friends. Andy will reveal the answer the following day.Test Match Special has live commentary on BBC Sounds with a team including Jonathan Agnew, Simon Mann and Jim Maxwell. England's 2005 Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan, legendary Australia seamer Glenn McGrath and ex-England spinners Phil Tufnell and Alex Hartley will be part of the punditry team.

From Stuart Broad to Ben Stokes, Shane Warne to Steve Waugh, Freddie Flintoff to Ian Botham. Who is the ultimate Ashes character? Whose personalities have shone on the pitch in the most high pressure games? Isa Guha, Sir Alastair Cook, and Jonathan Agnew debate their top 10 Ashes characters from players across England and Australia.

Joe Root tells Stephan Shemilt that the Ashes doesn't need a pink-ball Test match. Australia's first Test centurion Travis Head responds by telling Stephan "Pink ball, white ball, red ball - who really cares?".As the pair differ on views ahead of the Test between England and Australia at The Gabba, Eleanor Oldroyd sits in a cafe just outside the iconic venue with Andy Zaltzman and Henry Moeran to look ahead to the second match of the Ashes. Plus, former Australia Test skipper Tim Paine discusses what the pink-ball offers under the lights in Brisbane.

Henry Moeran is joined by Stephan Shemilt and Vithushan Ehantharajah and we hear from England captain Ben Stokes, fresh from accusations of "arrogance" from Australian media.

Exactly 15 years on from Sir Alastair Cook’s 235 not-out at the Gabba, the BBC’s Chief Cricket Reporter Stephan Shemilt speaks to Cook about one of his best individual series for England, which saw England win the Ashes in Australia in 2010/11. They discuss Cook’s incredible batting throughout the series, including his 235 not-out at The Gabba, the moments he was speaking to Chris Tremlett before the bowler infamously got Mitchell Johnson for a duck, and his time out in the middle with Sir Andrew Strauss and Jonathan Trott.

We hear from former captain Alec Stewart who thinks England are right not to send batters for an additional warm-up match. Plus, Steven Finn reveals the experience of the Gabba.

Kate Cross and Alex Hartley chat all things Ashes after England's dramatic two-day defeat in the first Ashes Test in Perth. They wonder whether England's batters should have gone to play in England's tour match in Canberra, plus Crossy remembers her time in Perth on England debut at the WACA.

Mark Chapman is joined by former England coach Paul Farbrace, former Australian opener Simon Katich and Durham coach Ryan Campbell to discuss the fallout from a remarkable first Ashes Test and England's pink-ball preparations ahead of the second test in Brisbane.