Test Match Special: The Voice of Cricket Returns for 2025-26 Ashes

The Enduring Legacy of Test Match Special

Test Match Special (TMS) is a British cricket radio programme available on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds in the United Kingdom and, where broadcasting rights permit, the rest of the world. Since its launch in 1957, this beloved programme has become synonymous with cricket coverage, offering listeners an intimate and comprehensive experience of the sport. TMS provides ball-by-ball coverage of most Test cricket, One Day International, and Twenty20 matches and tournaments involving the England cricket team.

Broadcasting the 2025-26 Ashes Series

BBC Test Match Special is in Australia bringing full coverage of the Men’s Ashes, with listeners able to access live ball-by-ball coverage on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and the BBC Sport website and app. The 2025–26 Ashes series is being played between Australia and England between 21 November 2025 and 8 January 2026. Test Match Special has live commentary with a team including Jonathan Agnew, Simon Mann and Jim Maxwell, with England’s 2005 Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan and legendary Australia seamer Glenn McGrath part of the punditry team.

The TMS Format and Experience

In a Test match three or four commentators and three or four summarisers are used in rotation; each commentator sits in before the microphone for twenty minutes, and each summariser for thirty minutes, at a time. Beyond the live broadcasts, No Balls: The Cricket Podcast will deliver special Ashes-themed episodes throughout the tour, whilst chief cricket reporter Stephan Shemilt will curate a narrative series titled From the Ashes.

Significance for Cricket Fans

Test Match Special remains an institution in British broadcasting, offering cricket enthusiasts more than just commentary—it provides companionship, expert analysis, and a deep connection to the sport. BBC Radio was the first broadcaster to cover every ball of a Test match, and it was not until TMS was launched in 1957 that every ball was covered for their British audience. As the 2025-26 Ashes unfolds, TMS continues to be the soundtrack to summer (or winter, depending on your hemisphere), ensuring that cricket fans worldwide can experience every thrilling moment of this historic rivalry.