Former England captain Michael Vaughan has launched a scathing attack on Ben Stokes and the England cricket team following their humiliating defeat in the Ashes 2025-26 series against Australia. England's hopes were dashed after they lost the first three Test matches, resulting in Australia retaining the coveted urn within a mere 11 days of play.
Vaughan's Scathing Column After Series Loss
Expressing his deep frustration in a newspaper column after the third consecutive defeat, Vaughan stated that England's much-hyped style of play was completely exposed in the challenging Australian conditions. He asserted that the team deserves severe criticism for their performance.
"The whole approach of this England side has been badly exposed on this Ashes tour, and you don’t have to look far into history to know that heads will roll after a defeat like this," Vaughan wrote. He emphasised the historic low, adding, "In the end, with defeat inside 11 days, it’s the worst I can remember in Australia. England have had a cockiness about them for three years, and the entire cricketing world has wanted to shut them up as a result. This tour has been humbling for them."
Questioning England's 'Bazball' Philosophy Down Under
Vaughan further claimed that the Australian camp was astonished by England's fragility despite the presence of talented players in the squad. He directly questioned the effectiveness of England's aggressive 'Bazball' philosophy on Australian soil.
"Aussies are laughing. They can’t believe how fragile this team have been given the quality in the side," he remarked. Vaughan challenged the team's long-held belief, stating, "England have had a message shoved down their throat for four years, that this style would win in Australia. I don’t know where that came from. The only teams I’ve seen win in Australia have been those willing to do the hard yards, grind the opposition down, and have a bowling unit that bowled with great discipline. We have neither."
How the Third Test Unfolded
The decisive third Test followed a pattern of English resistance ultimately falling short. After Australia chose to bat first, they were in early trouble at 94/4, thanks to incisive fast bowling from Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse. However, a resilient 82 from Usman Khawaja and a magnificent maiden Ashes century (106) from wicketkeeper Alex Carey propelled Australia to a first-innings total of 371. Archer was the standout bowler, claiming a five-wicket haul.
England responded with 286 in their first innings, anchored by a crucial partnership between captain Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. Australia then batted England out of the game in their second innings, posting 349 largely due to a brilliant 170 from Travis Head and another solid contribution from Carey.
Set a daunting target of 435 runs to win, England showed fight. Valuable contributions came from Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, and Brydon Carse. However, they were eventually bowled out for 352, with Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon leading the Australian bowling attack. For his twin influential knocks, Alex Carey was deservedly named the Player of the Match, as Australia took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the series.
The comprehensive defeat has sparked a major debate about the future of England's Test strategy and leadership, with Vaughan's comments reflecting a growing sentiment of disappointment and critique from former players and pundits alike.
