Just as Will Jacks, Brydon Carse, and Jamie Smith looked like they were pulling off a miraculous run chase for England in the third Test at Adelaide, ruthless Australia romped to a Series victory thanks to two outstanding catches by Pat Cummins and Marnus Labuschagne.
We discuss what’s next for England after this Ashes horror show.
England began Day five on 207-6, requiring a further 235 runs for victory, with Jacks and Smith as their only hope for victory.
Their partnership of 89, followed by Jack’s stand of 52 with Carse, looked as if there could be a miraculously slim chance of pulling off the chase.
But Australia’s ruthlessness in all three assets, especially in the field, all but ended England’s hopes of getting back into the Series.
Application Shown, But Too Late
Despite the defeat in Adelaide, there were signs of some application from England’s batters, but why has it taken until the third Test?
Captain Ben Sen Stokes led the way with 83 off 198 balls in the first innings.
Embed from Getty ImagesZak Crawley also dug in, with 85 from 155 in the second innings.
Embed from Getty ImagesEvan Joe Root got a splendid 138 off 206 at the Gabba.
Embed from Getty ImagesBut it wasn’t enough, as Australia’s bowlers were relentless with their line and lengths.
If England’s top three were prepared to sit in and see off the new ball, it would have possibly forced the Australian bowlers to look for wickets.
This would mean more scoring opportunities as the bowlers begin to tire.
If you look at the time spent by both teams in the field, England has spent more time in the field, especially in the first innings of the second Test, which was 117.3 overs.
Australia were more disciplined with both bat and ball, and so were able to apply pressure on England consistently.
Catches Win Matches
Embed from Getty ImagesNot holding on to catches has also cost England. Stokes’s side put down five in Brisbane and three in Adelaide. If six or seven of those chances had been taken, who knows? England may still alive be in this series.
England’s catching has not been up to the usual standards this year.
According to TNT Sports, England’s catch efficiency in Test matches during 2025 varied, with strong performances noted in the India series (around 78.3%).
But significant issues highlighted during the Ashes tour, where dropped catches proved costly, especially in the Brisbane Test against Australia.
While specific overall efficiency percentages for the year weren’t provided, data showed a high number of dropped chances (41 total) across the India series, indicating inconsistent fielding despite moments of brilliance, such as Will Jacks’ stunning catch.
This is what has hurt England the most, and it will continue to haunt them if they don’t improve in Melbourne and Sydney.
The Future Of Bazball
Embed from Getty ImagesThe future of the coach and captain usually depends on the Ashes, particularly when it’s in Australia.
Brendon McCullum, whose contract with England runs out in 2027, has refused to speculate any signs of quitting amid the loss in Australia..
“I’ll just keep trying to do the job, trying to learn the lessons I haven’t quite got right here and try to make some adjustments. Those questions are for someone else, not for me.”
McCullum: BBC Sport
The Stokes-McCullum duo revitalised England’s Test cricket, presiding over 10 wins from his first 11 games in charge.
As the Ashes have been a flop show thus far, it’s clear that unless England wins the last two Tests, there could be more questions being asked about the duo’s future.
England has a 15:16 win/loss ratio in 33 Tests under the Bazball era.
Though that may look concerning, quite a few of those 16 losses have been in games where they had chances to win but failed to capitalise.
A major reason for this is their temperament, especially with the bat.
Losing wickets in clusters, The Gabba, where they lost 4-54, after being 210-5 in the first innings, and 4-38 after being 97-2 in the second.
This will not win you a match, let alone a series, and England have done this far too often in this series.
If Stokes and McCullum are to make England a successful side overseas, the batting needs to be looked at in terms of knowing when to sit in and when to put pressure back on the opposition’s bowlers.
Jacks Not A Frontline Spinner
Embed from Getty ImagesWhile the selection of Will Jacks has given England runs down the order, he hasn’t shown the same consistency with the ball.
1-34, 2-105, and 1-107 are not what you want from your spinner, especially in Australia.
You want your spinner to do a holding job in the first innings and become a wicket-taking option in the second innings, which is what Nathan Lyon is exceptional at.
Jacks primary skill is his batting, so how can you expect him to bowl in the right areas consistently?
Embed from Getty ImagesShoaib Bashir weakens the batting, but at least he is a frontline spinner, who could give you some control.
If England are concerned about the batting, it could be worth playing two seamers, making Stokes the third, and using Jacks and Bashir as their two spin options.
Whatever England decide to do, it’s crucial that they depart Australia’s shore with better performances in the final two Tests.
This could reduce some of the backlash from the fans and the media, on what has so far been a disappointing Ashes thus far.
What should England do after losing another series in Australia?
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