Former England cricketer Michael Atherton downplayed the quality that was on display during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy and claimed that Ashes 2005 was a better Test series. The 2005 Ashes between England and Australia is widely regarded as one of the finest Test series ever contested. Almost every match was filled with nail-biting moments and the Three Lions eventually clinched it by 2-1.
However, the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 was nothing short of a spectacle either as both India and England gave their all on the field and gave the crowd in attendance some incredibly thrilling moments. The five-match series would eventually end at 2-2 with the Men in Blue snatching a 6-run victory from the Three Lions in the final match.
Despite this, Atherton claimed that he hasn't seen a better Test series than Ashes 2005 and highlighted that the quality at display in that series was superior to that of Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025. He further stated that the recently-concluded assignment between England and India was the best Test tie since Ashes 2005.
“I don’t think the quality was as good as ’05. I don’t think I’ve seen a better series than the ’05 Ashes. It was a great team on the decline and the emerging team, absolutely great players at the top of their game," Atherton said on Sky Sports.
“But it was probably the best series since ’05. The 2023 Ashes was fantastic, but I’ll put this series as the best series since ’05 because of those dramatic moments, like Woakes and like Rishabh Pant," he added.
Ashes 2025/26 to begin in November
Meanwhile, the Ashes 2025/26 is set to commence later this year from November 21. The series will be played in Australia and will be quite important for both the teams keeping the World Test Championship (WTC) standings in consideration. Notably, Australia currently sit at the top of the points table after whitewashing the series against West Indies by 3-0. On the other hand, England were pipped down to fourth after their defeat in the fifth Test against India.