England lost the five-match Ashes 2025 series 3-0 to Australia.
England head coach Brendon McCullum admitted that his team “got in [their] own way” while handling pressure during the Ashes 2025.
The visitors were chasing a 435-run target to keep the series alive. A spirited fightback from lower-middle-order batters Jamie Smith and Will Jacks, who forged a 91-run partnership for the seventh wicket, helped England recover from 194/6 before stumbling to 352. Brydon Carse also scored a resilient 39* off 64 balls, but saw wickets tumbling down from the other end.
Australia secured a commanding 82-run victory in the third Test in Adelaide, retaining the urn and extending England’s winless streak in Australia to 18 matches. With this emphatic win, the hosts now have an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match Test series.
McCullum reflected on the defeat, acknowledging that England lacked clarity in preparation for the Ashes 2025. However, he backed his players to stick to their attacking approach.
“We were confident in the style we planned to play here, knowing we’d face challenges. But I think we got a bit stuck, and I’ll take responsibility as coach. There should have been clear communication. When you’re put under immense pressure, your decision-making can become a little blurred at times, and you don’t know whether to stick or twist. I guess that’s the disappointing aspect,” McCullum told TNT Sports.
McCullum regretted that England had found their best form when the series was already lost. He noted that the discussion in the series review would probably centre on their preparations for the first two Tests, in particular. Several players of the England Test team participated in a white-ball series against New Zealand, where they faced seam-friendly pitches that were different from the conditions Down Under. Next, they played a pointless three-day match against the England Lions.
Apart from Joe Root, Mark Wood, and Ben Stokes, who have been part of four Ashes tours since 2013-14, other players didn’t have experience of playing Test cricket in Australia. Adding to the concerns, Wood’s injury, which ended his series after the series opener, meant that none of the other specialist bowlers had played a Test in Australia before this trip. Meanwhile, none of their Test regulars featured in the practice games against Australia’s PM XI, highlighting their lack of preparation and experience.
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McCullum also pointed out that England’s eagerness to achieve results early in the tour affected their ability to play freely in the Ashes 2025.
“The last two days showed our best cricket. During the previous nine days, we were so focused and determined to succeed that we got in our own way,. There’s a lesson here, about how to allow players to relax when the pressure is highest,” the coach added.
The shortened game sparked criticism from pundits about the aggressive style of cricket, popularly known as Bazball. The defeat in Adelaide exposed ongoing problems with shot selection of several batters, including Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Joe Root. They failed while attempting explosive shots on balls just outside off stump and edging behind the wickets or in the slip cordon. Zak Crawley, England’s top scorer with 85 off 151 balls, was stumped after charging down to Nathan Lyon.
England were always under pressure coming into the Ashes 2025 series, especially after levelling the five-match Test series against India at home. While they had given themselves a huge chance to secure a win in the low-scoring Perth Test, they were outplayed in the next two. They had their moments, but couldn’t win the crucial junctures that kept us away from the win.
England now face the tough task of rebuilding confidence and regrouping before the last two Tests, which they will play for pride. They need to find the right balance between aggression and discipline under pressure while tackling tough conditions in Australia.
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