England have lost the Ashes 2025 by 4-1.
Former England pacer James Anderson has taken a dig at captain Ben Stokes following a dismal tour of Australia during the Ashes 2025.
The most wicket-taker in Tests for England was taken aback with the skipper praising two of their seamers, Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse, for running constantly throughout the series. Anderson felt that it is the most basic effort for a bowler to put into the game.
“When I saw Stokes come out and say, the way Tongue and Carse have just run in like consistently, I had a Roy Keane moment. I was like, that’s your job. If you’re not willing to run in all day for your team, don’t bother. You’re in the wrong sport,” stated Anderson on BBC Radio.
The legendary English pacer lauded the Australian talisman, Mitchell Starc, for continuing with the same electrifying energy throughout the five-Test series. He also remarked that the kind of intensity shown by the 35-year-old should be the “standard” for all the fast bowlers.
“Starc, for me, was the absolute standout of the series. He bowled on Day 5 of the final Test as quick as he had bowled all series long. He was consistent with his speeds. But that is what you expect from all your bowlers. That is the standard,” added the seamer.
Notably, Starc was adjudged the Player of the Series award for snaring 31 scalps at an average of 19.93. Apart from his heroics with the ball, in the absence of skipper Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, the pacer also chipped in with some crucial runs with the willow. He scored 156 runs in seven innings, including two fifty-plus knocks.
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However, in contrast to Anderson’s opinions, England captain Stokes was pretty pleased with the effort from his squad in the entire series. Earlier, he had also defended his team’s decision of not participating in the practice fixture following a two-day loss in the Ashes 2025 opener.
The all-rounder acknowledged their underwhelming show in all three aspects of the game, but he refused to question any of the players’ commitment to putting in the hard yards during the series down under. Though the visitors’ sole victory in Melbourne saved them from another embarrassing Ashes whitewash, Stokes and Co. would want to reflect on the series before taking on New Zealand in June 2026.
“We haven’t performed well, we know that. In terms up of stepping up, I can never fault anyone’s commitment or energy that they’ve given into this. But no one should question the care and commitment to try and go out there and give it your absolute best,” the English skipper noted after the Sydney Test.
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