Sometimes, a series does more than deciding a winner. It forces a team to look hard at itself. England’s latest Ashes campaign has done exactly that, leaving the side facing uncomfortable questions after Australia sealed the series with a commanding 3-0 lead.
Australia wrapped up the third Test on Sunday, December 21, finishing off the final four wickets to retain the Ashes in just 11 days of cricket. Any faint hopes England carried into the match disappeared despite a spirited fight on the final day. At the Adelaide Oval, England showed resilience into the second session of day five but Scott Boland’s dismissal of Josh Tongue ended the resistance and confirmed an 82-run victory for the hosts.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes this defeat has exposed deeper issues within the team’s overall approach to Test cricket. In his view, such a one-sided outcome against a traditional rival often leads to major changes behind the scenes. While he acknowledged that job losses are never pleasant, he suggested that the leadership group and decision-makers are now under intense scrutiny. Past tours to Australia, he pointed out, have shown how unforgiving the aftermath of failure can be.
England arrived in Australia needing a win in Adelaide to keep the five-match series alive, having already suffered heavy eight-wicket defeats in Perth and Brisbane. With two Tests still to come in Melbourne and Sydney, the series result is now settled, even if pride remains at stake.
Michael Vaughan also questioned England’s belief that their aggressive new style would succeed in all conditions. According to him, this approach had already been challenged by strong opponents before, but the team failed to adapt or learn. He highlighted moments in Adelaide where a more traditional batting method worked. Ben Stokes’ patient first-innings knock and Zak Crawley’s composed effort in the second innings stood in contrast to England’s usual attacking mindset.
Ben Stokes scored 83 runs from 198 balls, while Zak Crawley made 85 off 151 deliveries. These innings pushed the match into a fifth day and showed that restraint still has a place in Test cricket. For England, the Ashes defeat is not just about losing a trophy, but about reassessing how they play the game and whether change is once again unavoidable.
