England lost Ashes 2025 by 1-4.
Former pacer Stuart Broad has revealed the problems exposed in England Bazball approach during the recently concluded Ashes 2025 in Australia. He explained why Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes’ aggressive style fell apart during Australia’s dominant 4-1 Ashes victory in 2025-26.
Days after the Ashes 2025, Broad reflected on his final days under Stokes and McCullum, acknowledging that “it was the best environment he played under.” However, he also pointed out that it initially worked because of experienced players like Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Stokes himself, Broad, James Anderson, and Jack Leach.
“We had a group of experienced players, but tired after COVID and touring. So when Stokes came in, he wanted to free up and play with freedom. The players who went through that period implemented it brilliantly. I think where it’s just taken a bit of a turning off the straight line is a lot of the players have moved on,” Broad said on For The Love Of Cricket YouTube channel.
Between May 2022 and December 2023, five of the top seven batters averaged more than 40 and crossed 1,000 runs. During the same period, England played 19 Tests, winning 13, losing 4, and drawing 2. Overall, their batters averaged 39.11 and scored at 4.82 runs per over.
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The issues began as the experienced players left. Broad retired after the 2023 Ashes, and Anderson and Bairstow were dropped. Chris Woakes was injured. New players arrived, but they struggled to cope with the pressures of Test cricket.
“Young players have come in, and you really don’t know what you’re doing. You’re still trying to learn intensity, pressure, situations,” Broad explained. “For inexperienced players, it’s quite difficult to manage. You don’t know how to win a situation against veterans like Mitchell Starc or Travis Head.”
The former pacer also asserted that Ben Stokes’ relationship with experienced players is seen as remarkable. However, the younger players don’t have the instinct, but they might not understand the messages.
Broad gave an example of Bairstow’s 2022 rescue act against India. England had to chase 378 in the last innings and got there with seven wickets left. Bairstow made a hundred in each innings. In the first innings, England were reeling at 44 for three, then he scored 106 from 140 balls. In the second, he hit 114 from 145 balls, which helped the hosts draw the series at two all.
Since 2024, England have lost 14 Test matches and won only 13, with one game resulting in a draw, underlining the concerns.
England’s Ashes 2025 crumbled in almost all ways. The team had 18 dropped catches, struggled to hit good length and lines consistently. Batters offered soft dismissals, lacked game awareness and more importantly fell prey to reckless shot selection. An ECB investigation is following their Ashes 2025 drubbing, with Rob Key and McCullum under examination, highlighting that things are falling apart.
Australia, missing captain Pat Cummins for four Tests and Josh Hazlewood for all five, Nathan Lyon played only two games, but still won quite comfortably. Travis Head scored 629 runs at an average of 62.90, Starc took 30 wickets, and Alex Carey shone across the wickets.
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