Australia are 3-0 up in the ongoing Ashes 2025-26 series against England.
The England team's humiliating 3-0 series loss during the Ashes tour of Australia has legendary England opener Geoffrey Boycott giving a very strong reaction. He asked that the squad fire coach Brendon McCullum and referred to England's "Bazball" concept of extremely aggressive cricket as a failed experiment.
Writing in his column for the Daily Telegraph, Boycott said, “A lot of credit should go to Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes for what they have done for our cricket, but it is obvious that Bazball has run its race.”
Early in 2022, McCullum and Stokes teamed up to revive England and make them competitive in the current Ashes series in Australia. That hasn't turned out to be the case; instead, the coach and captain are starting to feel the effects of England's humiliations.
“Hubris has taken over from common sense, and that cannot be allowed to carry on. Stokes and McCullum are like men digging a hole to nowhere. If what you are doing isn’t working, then stop digging,” Boycott raged.
“Change is absolutely necessary to step up to the next level. What would I do? Change the coach. We are tired of this duo talking a good game but not delivering against the best teams, so Rob Key, it is time for you to assert yourself.” Boycott called for McCullum’s resignation.
ECB has invested a lot in McCullum’s philosophy and how central a tenet of English cricket the attacking, positive tempo of cricket has become.
Boycott, however, has had enough and said that it was time to move on to someone else. He listed a few names that he thinks England should pursue.
“Many people would cherish the England coach’s job because it is very high profile and exceptionally well paid. Jason Gillespie did a great job at Yorkshire, or they could go for an English coach like Alec Stewart,” advised Boycott.
Boycott provided a simple reason for asking McCullum to resign: that he didn’t agree with his style of batting, that it perpetrated. He further stated that England should revert to the ‘textbook’ Test cricket, playing for time, and as per the situation.
"I would like this “gung-ho” batting to stop… Nobody wants dour, defensive cricket, but let’s get back to textbook cricket with guys assessing the situation, thinking on their feet, and batting with discipline. We were always told to use our brains. A thinking cricketer is a better cricketer,” Boycott wrote.
Now England will have time to celebrate Christmas and have a few days off before the fourth Test that begins in Melbourne from December 26 onwards.