Ben Stokes vs Nathan Lyon: Head to Head record in Test cricket ahead of the Ashes 2025-26 Test series

The Ashes 2025-26 is primed for a marquee showdown between two of the game’s greatest rivals: Ben Stokes, the aggressive and talismanic England captain, and Nathan Lyon, Australia‘s celebrated off-spin orchestrator. This duel transcends statistics; it is a battle for control of the middle overs, pitting Stokes’ ‘Bazball’ intent to dismantle the spinner against Lyon’s unwavering ability to extract bounce and purchase on Australian wickets. The outcome of this personal contest will significantly influence the momentum of the series, starting in Perth on November 21st, 2025.

Ben Stokes: The all-action England captain on the comeback trail

Stokes enters the Ashes having successfully returned to competitive bowling after a shoulder injury suffered in July 2025 against India. His recent performance in the warm-up against the England Lions was a devastating warning to Australia, where he tore through the batting line-up with a sensational 6-wicket haul for 52 runs, confirming he is in beast mode.

While Stokes’s main value is his inspirational leadership and batting prowess, he is one of only three all-rounders in Test history to score over 7,000 runs and take 200+ wickets, his bowling fitness is a massive boost for the England attack. The Australian media and former players, like Andrew Strauss, have already targeted Stokes, aiming to get under his skin and exploit his emotional nature, but the captain’s best response, historically, has been with incredible, inspired performances with both bat and ball, like his legendary 135* at Headingley in 2019.

Ben Stokes Last Series Performance (2025):

Nathan Lyon: The GOAT seeking test match redemption

Nathan Lyon, known as ‘Garry’ or ‘The GOAT,’ is Australia’s indispensable spinner, entering the series with over 500 Test wickets and a career average of 31.06 against England, having taken 110 wickets in 30 Ashes Tests. Lyon is fully aware of his crucial role, recently stating that any Australian success will come from everyone contributing, but his specific role is non-negotiable, particularly on the fast Australian wickets where he can exploit the bounce.

The 37-year-old off-spinner will face the ultimate test against England’s aggressive Bazball philosophy, which aims to target the spinner to score quickly and unsettle the Australian rhythm. Lyon’s last series outing was brief, featuring in one Test against the West Indies in July 2025, but his confidence is high, and he is determined to prove that even in pace-friendly Perth, his accuracy and ability to spin the ball hard remain a threat.

Nathan Lyon Last Series Performance (2025):

Head-to-Head Battle: Ben Stokes vs Nathan Lyon in test cricket

The long-running battle between Stokes and Lyon is arguably the most defining individual rivalry of the modern Ashes. In their Test encounters, Stokes has faced a staggering 872 deliveries from the Australian off-spinner, scoring 434 runs at an overall strike rate of 48.7. While this strike rate suggests a degree of caution, the true measure of Lyon’s threat is in the dismissals: the off-spinner has claimed the crucial wicket of the England’s captain 9 times in Test cricket.

This makes Lyon Stokes’s most frequent tormentor, highlighting the strategic significance of this match-up. Historically, Stokes has been a major boundary-hitter against Lyon, with his 2019 series featuring 7 sixes off the spinner. The upcoming Ashes will be a contest between Stokes’s ‘Bazball’ mandate to attack and Lyon’s relentless accuracy and use of bounce. If Stokes succeeds in launching an assault and disrupting Lyon’s rhythm, England’s middle-order scoring rate will surge; if Lyon maintains his control and finds the rough, he will not only claim the crucial wicket but also apply the brakes to the entire English innings.