The Ashes 2025-26: "I would put them above us"- Brett Lee lauds Australia's current bowling unit; Terms it as the best-ever

Brett Lee said that Australia’s current bowling unit is stronger than that of his time.

Former Australian Cricket Team pacer Brett Lee has heaped praise on the current Australia’s bowling unit, terming them as the best-ever. His comments arrive as Australia have dominated England in the first two matches of The Ashes 2025-26, winning both games by eight wickets like a walk in the park. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood form a deadly pace unit for Australia, with Nathan Lyon leading the spin department.

Lee also feels that they have surpassed the team’s bowling unit of his time, which comprised names like Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Lee himself. Cummins, Starc, Lyon and Hazlewood have featured in a total of 389 tests between them and clinched a total of 1586 wickets.

Lyon, who has led Australia’s spin attack for over a decade in tests, has 562 scalps in 140 games. While Starc has clinched 420 test wickets, Cummins has 309 scalps in his kitty in the longest format. Hazlewood has hunted 295 batters in his test career so far.

They’re the best ever: Brett Lee hails Australia’s current bowling unit

In a chat with Australian Associated Press (AAP), Lee reckoned that the current Australian bowling unit is the best-ever, noting the fact that all of them have captured over 250 test wickets. He also added that Scott Boland is a wonderful bowler, despite getting fewer opportunities in the national team.

“They’re the best ever, I reckon. It’s different eras, and hard to compare, but I would put them above us. If you look purely at stats, everyone has taken over 250 Test wickets, and that’s never been done before,” Lee said.

“Scott Boland, if he is included in that, is a bit like Michael Kasprowicz; he didn’t really get an opportunity but is a wonderful bowler. These guys are so good that the Australian public won’t recognise how good they are until they’re gone,” the 49-year-old added.

Notably, Lee picked 310 wickets in 76 tests in his career. Cummins, who is set to captain Australia in the third test of The Ashes 2025-26 after missing the first two games, is on the verge of surpassing his tally. Having 309 wickets in his kitty, he needs two more scalps to outplay Lee in the list.

Moreover, Lyon also requires two more wickets to become Australia’s second-highest wicket-taker in test cricket, overtaking Glenn McGrath’s tally of 563.

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