[17] On 2 December 2021, Alex Carey was added to Australia's squad as Paine's replacement and a wicket-keeper,[18] receiving his maiden Test call-up in the process.

As far back as June 2021, concerns had been raised that key England players could pull out of the tour if their families were not able to accompany them due to the Australian government's restrictions on international travel.

[24] On the morning of the first day of the second Test, Australian captain Pat Cummins was ruled out of the match after he was deemed to be a close contact of someone with COVID-19.

[25] In mid-December, a number of people at the match at Adelaide Oval tested positive, including members of the media.

[27] Several key staff and officials, including ICC match referee David Boon and England coach Chris Silverwood were also forced to miss the fourth Test; Boon had tested positive for COVID-19 while Silverwood was forced to isolate with his family following an outbreak of the virus in the England camp.

[29] However, in late November 2021, doubts were raised about the final Test taking place in Perth due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The next four batsmen, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Ollie Robinson, and Mark Wood, were dismissed in quick succession, ending the innings.

[47][48] Despite testing negative to COVID-19, Pat Cummins was forced to withdraw from the match and isolate in accordance with the South Australian government's public health regulations.

[52] Steve Smith was appointed Australian captain for the first time since his comeback from the Sandpapergate incident, while Michael Neser was named as Cummins' replacement and hastily awarded his baggy green.

[53] Early in the day, Labuschagne reached his sixth test hundred with a controlled edge past second slip to the boundary.

[53] Malan and Root resumed from their overnight positions and carried their bats through the first session with England getting to lunch at 140 runs for the loss of no additional wickets.

[53] Australia chose not to enforce the follow-on and ended the day 45 for one, with Warner run-out in a mixup with batsman Harris, with a combination of Broad and Buttler dislodging the stumps.

[54] Despite this setback, England started the day well, dismissing Neser, Harris and then the captain Smith in quick succession to have Australia 55 for four.

[53] England resumed their second innings chasing a target of 468 runs and were immediately down a wicket when Hameed was out for a duck caught by the wicketkeeper Carey off the bowling of Jhye Richardson.

[53] England made four changes to its team, with Jonny Bairstow, Zak Crawley, Jack Leach and Mark Wood replacing Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Ollie Pope and Chris Woakes.

Australia also made some changes, with Jhye Richardson and Michael Neser making way for Pat Cummins returning as captain, and debutant Scott Boland, a local boy who became only the fourth Indigenous Australian cricketer to play at Test level.

[58] After the start of play was delayed by rain,[58] England's batting woes at the top of the order continued, with Cummins having dismissed openers Hameed and Crawley with only 13 runs on the board.

Cameron Green bowled James Anderson out to end the Test with Australia winning by an innings and 14 runs.

Johnny Bairstow then went on to reach triple digit figures in just 138 balls and he became the first England player to score century in this series.

Australia found themselves in trouble after they were reduced to 4/86 Cameroon Green and Usman Khawaja rebuilt the innings by stitching a mammoth 179 run partnership with Green scoring 74 and Khawaja went on to score another century in his comeback match to extend Australia's lead by 387 before Cummins declared the innings at 5/268 and set England a target of 388.

Boland struck early in the day to break the 46 run opening partnership while Crawley would later go on the register his first half-century in the Ashes.

With 36 overs of play in the final session, a draw seemed the most likely result, but Nathan Lyon dismissed Stokes and opened the door for Australia.

Travis Head returned in place of Marcus Harris; Usman Khawaja went up the order to open the batting, the first time he had done so in a Test in almost three years.

England made five changes from the side that drawn the fourth Test; Rory Burns replaced Haseeb Hameed; Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler, both injured, were replaced by Ollie Pope and Sam Billings respectively, the latter making his debut as England's Test cap no.

Mark Wood dismissed Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins with the short ball early on the second day; Nathan Lyon hit three sixes off his first nine deliveries before Woakes bowled Carey off an inside-edge for 24.

Mark Wood continued to take wickets with the short ball the next morning; Boland edged behind before Head (8) and Smith (27) fell to bouncers.

From 6/63 Cameron Green played his part in another Australian recovery, this time in partnership with Alex Carey, who survived being bowled off by Chris Woakes off a no-ball when on 19*.

At approximately 6am on the morning following the conclusion of the 5th Test, Tasmania Police attended the Hobart's Crowne Plaza Hotel following reports of intoxicated people in a public lobby.

[69] The incident followed a noise complaint by a guest staying at the hotel; social media footage originally taken by an England assistant coach showed five of the cricketers who had played in the Test.

[70] Abbreviations: H / S – Highest score in an innings; S / R – Strike rate: runs per 100 balls faced The series was broadcast on television in Australia by the Seven Network and Fox Sports.