ECB orders sweeping review after England’s 4-1 Ashes humiliation

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has moved into damage-control mode after England’s bruising 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia, launching a sweeping review that goes far beyond just tactics and team selection.

From hype to hurt: ECB promises hard reset

ECB chief executive Richard Gould admitted the Ashes campaign fell miles short of expectations and confirmed that a full audit of England’s tour is already underway, covering everything from planning and preparation to individual performance, behaviour and adaptability on the field.

He stressed that the long-term target is clear: regaining the Ashes in 2027, but that can happen only if hard questions are asked now. For Indian fans who watched England arrive with Bazball bravado, the collapse across five Tests felt like a reality check for ultra-aggressive Test batting on Australian pitches.

Gould acknowledged that there were slivers of fight – notably the hard-fought win in Melbourne – but they were drowned out by sessions where England’s bowling lacked bite and the batting imploded under relentless Australian pressure.

"We will take many lessons from this tour and are determined to improve quickly. Our focus is on regaining the Ashes in 2027," — Richard Gould

The review is expected to look closely at workload management in a packed calendar, leadership calls, and whether England’s high-risk style needs recalibrating away from home. With Australia now firmly on top again, the next Ashes cycle already feels like a race for England to rediscover an identity that works beyond just marketing buzzwords.