Cricket’s most enduring rivalry resumes very soon, so you’ll want to know how to watch Ashes 2021 and see Australia and England battle for the famous trophy.
The five-Test series pits Joe Root’s inconsistent England against an Australian side fresh from winning the T20 World Cup, but with a new captain at the helm and not much recent experience in the longer form of the game.
Indeed, Australia have only played one series since January 2020 due to Covid restrictions, and they lost that to India. On top of that, they’ve had to deal with captain Tim Paine resigning due to a texting scandal, with fast bowler Pat Cummins newly installed as on-field leader.
England do have plenty of Test cricket behind them, but their warm-up games have been hampered by thunderstorms and their form has been patchy. They won convincingly in Sri Lanka, but were beaten at home and away by India and at home by New Zealand. What’s more, they’ve lost nine out of their past 10 Tests in Australia — and few people think they’ll turn that around this time.
England at least had a boost at the toss — they won and will bat. Here’s how they line up:
Australia: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wkt), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
England: Joe Root (c), Rory Burns, Jos Buttler (wkt), Haseeb Hameed, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
Australia will be favorites, then, but anything can happen in Ashes cricket — so you won’t want to miss a second. The good news is you can watch Ashes 2021 cricket live wherever you are — and even FOR FREE, if you happen to be in Australia right now.
So read on for our full guide to how to watch the Ashes, and we’ve also got a separate guide to how to watch the Australia vs England Ashes First Test live stream.
And if you’re looking for more live sport, you might also be interested in our guides to how to watch Premier League 21/22 soccer and where to find the NFL live streams, NBA live streams and NHL live streams.
Ashes 2021 live streams
How to watch Ashes 2021 live streams from anywhere
It’s natural that you might want to watch Ashes 2021 cricket coverage from your home country — after all, there’s nothing like enjoying the action with commentators and pundits you already know. But what if you’re not there when the game is on?
Look no further than a VPN, or virtual private network. A VPN makes it look as if you’re surfing the web from your home country, rather than the one you’re in. That means you can access the streaming services you already pay for, from anywhere on Earth. Or anywhere that has an internet connection, at least.
For instance, an Australian who’s currently in the U.K. could watch Ashes 2021 live streams for free on 7Plus, even though they’re not in Australia.
They’re totally legal, inexpensive and easy to use. We’ve tested lots of the best VPN services and our favorite right now is ExpressVPN, thanks to its combination of superb speed, great customer service and excellent device support.
It also offers a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee, so you could check it out without having to sign up long term.
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we’ve said, ExpressVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you’re in the U.K. and want to view an Australian service, you’d select Australia from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to 7Plus or another service and watch the match.
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How to watch Ashes 2021 live streams in the UK
You’ll be able to watch every Ashes 2021 match live in the U.K. on, wait for it… BT Sport.
Yes, Sky Sports’ Ashes dominance is over, with BT taking over for the first time. You’ll be able to catch every minute of the action on BT 1HD — so long as you don’t mind staying up late. Timings in the U.K. vary from test to test, but the first test starts at midnight on Wednesday (Dec. 8), for instance, with coverage from 11 p.m.
Former England internationals including Sir Alastair Cook, Moeen Ali, Steve Harmison, Matt Prior and Mark Butcher, will all be part of the coverage, as will Australian greats Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Allan Border and Mark Waugh.
As well as being able to watch on live TV, subscribers will also be able to tune in via the BT Sport website or the BT Sport app for iOS or Android.
Prices differ hugely depending on whether you already have BT TV and a BT broadband subscription. If you have both, you can add the Sports package for £15/month plus a £20 upfront fee, or go for the £40/month Big Sports package which also includes all of the Sky Sports channels.
Another option for non-BT subscribers is the BT Sport Monthly Pass (£25), which lets you watch via an app for a fixed time.
All sounds great, right? But if you’re not in the U.K., you can still follow the games by using one of the best VPN services, such as ExpressVPN.
How to watch Ashes 2021 live streams FOR FREE in Australia
Aussies are in the fortunate position of getting FREE live streams of Ashes 2021 on Channel Seven and its 7Plus streaming service.
7Plus is available on a multitude of streaming devices, including smart TVs, Chromecast, Apple TV, iPad, Android tablets, PS4 and more.
And if you’re not in Australia right now, but have a 7Plus account back home, you can simply use a VPN to watch all the action as if you were back in Oz.
And that’s not all — because the Ashes 2021 will also be shown ad-free on Fox Cricket via Foxtel or the Foxtel Go app, and on Kayo Sports.
Fox is available as part of many pay TV packages, but if you don’t already have it then Kayo might be a better bet. It can be accessed via a dedicated mobile or tablet app, and also on Chromecast and Apple TV — plus, there’s a 14-day free trial available if you want to try the service before committing to a subscription.
Once the trial is over, it costs a very reasonable $25 AUD per month for the basic package. A premium subscription is also available for $35 AUD per month, but this merely gives you the ability to access three simultaneous streams, rather than two.
Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN to watch all the action on your Fox or Kayo account, as if you were back home.
How to watch Ashes 2021 live streams in the US
Despite the USA not being involved, cricket fans in the U.S. (and Canada) can enjoy full Ashes 2021 coverage.
The entire five-Test series will be shown on the excellently named Willow TV, which is available via various cable packages including Dish, Fios, Spectrum, Xfinity and more.
If you’ve cut the cord and don’t have cable, don’t worry — because you can also watch Willow via Sling TV. You’ll need a Sling subscription, which costs $35 for either the Orange or Blue package, and can then add Willow TV for $10/month or $60/year.
However, right now Sling is offering a 30-day trial for the bargain price of $10 and Willow TV is offering its first month for just $5 — so you could watch much of the Ashes 2021 for just $15.
But what if you already use those services but aren’t in the U.S. right now? As we explained above, your best bet will be to use a VPN such as ExpressVPN so you can access them wherever you are.
How to watch Ashes 2021 live streams in New Zealand
New Zealanders can see how England and Australia get on in the Ashes on Sky Sport. This costs $57.98 NZD per month, or $31.99/month extra if you already have Sky but not Sport. Plus there’s currently an offer which gives you your first month free when you sign up for a year.
Alternatively, you could go for the Sky Sport Now service, which gives you just the Sport channels but for a reduced cost of $19.99/week / $39.99/month or $399/year.
Not at home in New Zealand right now? You can still follow every game by using one of the best VPN services, such as ExpressVPN.
How to watch Ashes 2021 live streams in India
If you’re watching the Ashes in India, you’ll need the Sony Sports Network. The action will be shown in English on Sony Six and in Hindi on Sony Ten 3, with other languages available on Sony Ten 4.
Another option is the Sony Liv service, which costs Rs 999 for a year, Rs 699 for six months, or Rs 299 per month for the Premium version (which you’ll need for the Ashes 2021.)
If you already subscribe to Sony Live, but are outside of India right now, you can simply choose one of the best VPN services such as ExpressVPN to live stream the action wherever you are are.
Ashes 2021 schedule: Full fixtures and start times
First Test
When: Wednesday, December 8 – Sunday, December 12
Where: Gabba, Brisbane
Time: Play starts at 12 a.m. GMT
Second Test
When: Thursday, December 16 – Monday, December 20
Where: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
Time: Play starts at 4 a.m. GMT
Third Test
When: Sunday, December 26 – Thursday, December 30
Where: MCG, Melbourne
Time: Play starts at 11.30 p.m. GMT on Saturday, December 25
Fourth Test
When: Wednesday, January 5 – Sunday, January 9
Where: SCG, Sydney
Time: Play starts at 11.30 p.m. GMT on Tuesday, January 4
Fifth Test
When: Friday, January 14 – Tuesday, January 18
Where: tbc
Time: Play starts at tbc
Who are the key Ashes 2021 players?
AUSTRALIA
Steve Smith
Smith has form — and plenty of it — against England, having made 11 centuries in 27 Ashes Tests, the third highest of any player. He didn’t look in particularly good nick in the T20 World Cup, but Test cricket is much more his thing and he has an uncanny ability to frustrate England. He’ll be the most-prized wicket for England’s bowlers, and if they can tame him, they have a chance.
David Warner
Unlike Smith, Warner’s record against England is patchy — he averaged just 9.5 in the 2019 series, with Stuart Broad removing him seven times. But England beware: Warner was outstanding in the T20s, and there’s a strong suspicion that on the pacier, bouncier tracks down under he’ll be back to his barnstorming best.
Pat Cummins
Cummins would make this list even if he hadn’t been helicoptered in as skipper to replace Tim Paine; after all, he’s the world’s top-ranked bowler. It remains to be seen whether he can manage the dual demands of leading the attack and leading his team, but if he does, England will be in trouble.
Nathan Lyon
Lyon has an excellent record against England and picked up 20 wickets in the 2019 series. He’s even more dangerous in home conditions, and will be eager to take a few scalps given that he’s currently marooned on 399 wickets. On the flip side, there are several excellent players of spin in the England side — including Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler — and they could see Lyon as an easy scoring option.
ENGLAND
Joe Root
It almost goes without saying that captain Joe Root is England’s most important player, but we’ll say it anyway. He’s been in superb form this year, hitting an incredible 1,398 runs at an average of 69.90. However, he’s never scored a ton in Australia and he’ll clearly need to if England are to have any chance.
Ben Stokes
Stokes has been out of the side for mental health-related reasons, so his return gives England a massive boost for the Ashes. The big question is whether he can easily slot back into the side and back into the form he showed in 2019. The fact that he hit 42 off 56 balls and took two wickets in his sole warm-up game suggests he can.
Chris Woakes
With Jimmy Anderson sidelined for the First Test, Stuart Broad unlikely to play all five matches, Mark Wood always an injury concern and Ollie Robinson untested down under, England’s bowling attack will rely a lot on Chris Woakes. He’s been immense in domestic Tests and was also outstanding in the T20 World Cup, but can he do it in Australia?
Jack Leach
Leach is a long way from being England’s best player, but they’ll need someone to hold down an end, and he’s more likely than Dom Bess to offer the control they’ll need. Australia will surely go after him, and if Warner is well set when Leach comes into the attack, carnage could ensue. How Leach copes could go a long way to determining who wins this series.
Ashes 2021 squads
Ashes 2021 squads: Australia
- David Warner
- Marcus Harris
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Steve Smith
- Travis Head
- Usman Khawaja
- Cameron Green
- Pat Cummins (captain)
- Alex Carey (wicketkeeper)
- Mitchell Starc
- Josh Hazlewood
- Nathan Lyon
- Jhye Richardson
- Michael Neser
- Mitchell Swepson
Ashes 2021 squads: England
- Joe Root (captain)
- James Anderson
- Jonny Bairstow
- Dom Bess
- Stuart Broad
- Rory Burns
- Jos Buttler
- Zak Crawley
- Haseeb Hameed
- Dan Lawrence
- Jack Leach
- Dawid Malan
- Craig Overton
- Ollie Pope
- Ollie Robinson
- Ben Stokes
- Chris Woakes
- Mark Wood
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