England's hopes of winning back the Ashes urn were definitively extinguished on Sunday, December 21, 2025, as Australia secured a commanding victory in the third Test at the Adelaide Oval. This win gave the hosts an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, leaving England staring at the grim prospect of a potential whitewash.
Vaughan's Scathing Critique: 'Destined to Combust'
Former England captain Michael Vaughan expressed profound disappointment, stating that the team arrived in Australia with a flawed game plan. He argued that their much-talked-about aggressive method, often dubbed 'Bazball', was destined to combust under the intense pressure of an Ashes series down under. Vaughan highlighted a persistent failure to learn from past mistakes against quality opposition in the lead-up to this tour.
In his column for The Telegraph, Vaughan pointed to specific moments that sealed England's fate. "You look at the way Ben Stokes batted in the first innings in Adelaide, and Zak Crawley in the second. You think if they had batted like that in Perth in the second innings, the game would have been safe. That defeat in Perth killed the tour. It is a very long way back from a two-day loss," he wrote. He termed this the worst Ashes tour he can remember in Australia, especially given the context of Australia's injury woes.
Australia's Triumph Amidst Adversity
Vaughan emphasised that Australia's dominance was achieved despite not being at full strength. Key bowlers Pat Cummins missed the first two Tests, while Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the entire series. Other mainstays like Nathan Lyon, Usman Khawaja, and Steve Smith also dealt with injuries and illness. This, according to Vaughan, made England's comprehensive defeat even more frustrating.
"This England team can play, they have talent, but the application comes only occasionally," Vaughan lamented. He accused the team of developing a three-year 'cockiness' that the wider cricketing world was eager to see challenged. The humbling was perfectly symbolised, he noted, by the Australian team donning 'Ronball' T-shirts—a playful dig at England's 'Bazball'—during their on-field celebrations after the Adelaide win.
'Aussies Are Laughing' at English Fragility
The most damning indictment from Vaughan was his revelation of the Australian camp's reaction. "Aussies are laughing. They can't believe how fragile this team have been given the quality in the side," he stated. He explained that while Australians had watched England's style with some admiration from afar, there was always a belief that it would not work on Australian pitches against their disciplined attack.
Vaughan contrasted the two approaches: "They are a good, hard cricket team. They are sensible, and very rarely feel the need to think outside the box. The players earn the right." Ironically, he added that many Australian fans were also disappointed, as they had craved a close, competitive series after a long time. Instead, the ease of their victory presented a 'massive problem' for the spectacle of the Ashes.
With two dead-rubber Tests remaining, the focus for England has shifted from reclaiming the urn to salvaging pride and avoiding a demoralising 5-0 series whitewash. Vaughan's critique underscores a deep-seated concern about the team's mentality and its ability to adapt its philosophy to the toughest conditions in world cricket.
