When was the last time a team won from a 2-0 deficit in an Ashes series?
The 2023 Ashes series witnessed its second consecutive thrilling Day 5 finish at Lord's, with Australia emerging victorious again to take a near-unassailable 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
Having won a tight contest in the first Test at Edgbaston, the visitors held their nerve despite a Ben Stokes onslaught to pull off a 43-run victory in the second Test.
There have been 72 Ashes series played before the ongoing one, but only once has a team made it back from a 2-0 debacle to taste victory.
The 1936/37 Australian team, led by Sir Donald Bradman, dug themselves a 0-2 hole at home by winning three straight games to clinch the series 3-2. In that series, the Aussies were dismantled in the first two Tests by 322 runs and an innings and 22 runs respectively.
However, the hosts, inspired by Sir Don, won the final three games comfortably to bring home the Ashes urn.
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For more recent context, since the turn of the century, there have been seven instances of a team going up 2-0 in the Ashes.
Australia have done it six times, while England have done it once (2013), and in none of those occasions did either team even manage to level the series at 2-2, let alone win it. The Ashes in England have generally been close after the first two Tests, with this being only three third occasion either team has taken a 2-0 lead since 2000.
However, Ashes history points to winning the 2023 series as a tall order for England from the 0-2 deficit, having been done only once in nearly 141 years.
"We have won 3-0 against Pakistan, 3-0 against NZ" - Ben Stokes
England skipper Ben Stokes remained adamant that the side could script a comeback from a 0-2 hole to win the following three Tests and regain the Ashes.
The hosts suffered another heartbreaking defeat at the closing stages of Day 5 by 43 runs at Lords, despite another Stokes masterclass. The talismanic all-rounder smashed a memorable 155 off 214 deliveries to almost script another final innings heist similar to the 2019 Headingley Test.
Speaking in the post-match presentation, Stokes was confident of England winning three straight, having done it over the past year against Pakistan and New Zealand.
"Having experienced something similar, you are able to look back at it. Did take a lot out of Headingley but unfortunately not to be. Tough one to swallow, but it was a fantastic game. We are 2-0 down but we got 3 games to go. We have won 3-0 against Pakistan, 3-0 against NZ so we have the belief that we can do it. Quick turnaround now and we are 2-0 down, but we can make it 3-2," said Stokes.
Since taking over as the full-time Test captain, Stokes led England to victory in 11 of their 13 Tests before the ongoing Ashes series. However, it is noteworthy that the hosts have lost three of their last four Tests since the first Test win in New Zealand earlier this year.
The third Test of the riveting series gets underway at Headingley on Thursday, July 6.