"The entire cricketing world has wanted to shut them up" - England's Ashes-winning captain slams Ben Stokes' side for embarrassing series defeat

Former England captain Michael Vaughan slammed the Ben Stokes-led English side after their embarrassing capitulation in the ongoing Ashes 2025-26 in Australia. Despite their poor record down under over the past decade, the visitors came into the series with massive expectations of regaining the urn.

However, they have suffered a hat-trick of losses in the opening three Tests and conceded the series to Australia with two matches remaining.

According to Vaughan, England's series loss has brought great joy not only to the Aussies but to the entire cricketing world, given the side's cockiness with the Bazball mantra over the past three years.

He wrote in his column for the Telegraph:

"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. 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."

Vaughan added:

"Aussies are laughing. They can’t believe how fragile this team have been given the quality in the side. 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."

After their historic 2010/11 Ashes series win in Australia, England have failed to register a single Test in their next 18 games down under. They suffered a 0-5 whitewash in 2013/14 and lost by a 0-4 margin in 2017/18 and 2021/22.

"Every England player should be fighting to ensure they don’t go on the scrapheap" - Michael Vaughan

Michael Vaughan urged the England players to put in the hard yards in the final two Tests despite the series result being determined. The former captain recalled how a win in Australia, even in a dead rubber, helps in subsequent Ashes series.

After losing the first four Tests in the 2003 series in Australia, England won the final game in Sydney. The result seemingly had a ripple effect as a Vaughan-led England unit stunned a dominant Aussie team 2-1 in the following home Ashes in 2005.

"One thing I will say is that the Ashes might be gone, but this series is not over. Every England player should be fighting to ensure they don’t go on the scrapheap. Some will go, but a lot of these guys are still worth investing in: if we bring another fresh set of players in four years, they will get hammered again," said Vaughan (via the aforementioned source).

He concluded:

"My message is to take something with you from the last two games. They are not dead rubbers. England have not won here for almost 16 years. Any win is massive. I experienced that in 2003, and gained a lot for 2005."

With the Aussies holding an unassailable 3-0 series lead, the penultimate Test will be played in Melbourne, starting December 26.

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Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran