England begin their tall order of trying to win back the Ashes in Australia in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
The tourists, who have endured a disrupted build up to the first Test, have lost seven of the last eight Ashes series in Australia, having not won Down Under for a decade. They have not won a Test in Australia since and the last two trips have been whitewashes for the hosts, who are the holders following the thrilling series draw in 2019.
Captain Joe Root will look to take his sensational batting form of 2021 into the Ashes, where he has so far been unable to record a century on Australian soil, while the return of 2019 hero Ben Stokes is a boost to the visitors.
Here's everything you need to know.
How to watch the Ashes
In the UK, BT Sport will be showing every ball of the Ashes with coverage of the first Test beginning at 11pm on Tuesday 7 December.
BT Sport subscribers will be able to watch the action live on TV, while the Ashes will also be streamed live on the BT Sport app and online.
Fans can also buy a BT Sport monthly pass to get 30 days of live action contract free.
What is the schedule?
What has England captain Joe Root said?
"Of course it will define my captaincy, I'm not naive enough to think it won't.
"If you look how hard it's been for English captains and English teams (to win in Australia) over the years, it has been something which doesn't happen very often.
"But what a great opportunity. I'm very excited about it and can't wait for the series to get going."
Odds
Australia: 11/12
England: 9/2
Draw: 8/1
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