The England and Wales Cricket Board has already launched a 'thorough review' after England fell to a 'deeply disappointing' 4-1 Ashes defeat
Updated 08/01/2026 at 08:47 GMT
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Defeat in the final Test in Sydney gave Australia a 4-1 series victory in the NRMA Insurance men’s Ashes and has left England unpicking what went so badly wrong down under. The England and Wales Cricket Board say they are already reviewing the 'deeply disappointing' result, but attention will now turn to preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup - which gets underway in February.
‘We’ve done a lot of damage to ourselves’ - Stokes looks back on Ashes loss
Video credit: TNT Sports
The England and Wales Cricket Board [ECB] said they have already launched a "thorough review" of the NRMA Insurance men’s Ashes series, after England slipped to a "deeply disappointing" 4-1 defeat in Australia.
The series was effectively over after just three matches, with the hosts racing into an unassailable 3-0 lead with dominant victories in Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Although Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes’ side regained some pride with a four-wicket win in Melbourne, they were beaten again in Sydney to suffer more disappointment at the end of the tour.
At the end of the final day’s play, ECB Chief Executive Officer, Richard Gould, released a statement to summarise the tour - although no indication was given as to whether there will be any personnel changes within the setup.
"This Ashes tour began with significant hope and anticipation, and it is therefore deeply disappointing that we have been unable to fulfil our ambition of winning the Ashes in Australia," Gould wrote.
"While there were moments of strong performance and resilience during the series, including a hard-fought victory in the fourth Test in Melbourne, we were not consistent enough across all conditions and phases of the contest, and Australia ultimately deserved to retain the Ashes.
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‘I’m keen to carry on’ - McCullum reflects on Ashes loss
Video credit: TNT Sports
"We will take many lessons from this tour and are determined to improve quickly. Our focus is on regaining the Ashes in 2027.
"A thorough review of the campaign is already underway. This will cover tour planning and preparation, individual performance and behaviours, and our ability to adapt and respond effectively as circumstances require.
"The men’s team now moves on to Sri Lanka ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which begins in February, and we will implement the necessary changes over the coming months.
"We are grateful for the courtesy and hospitality shown to us by Cricket Australia throughout the tour. As always, we are indebted to the travelling supporters who followed the team through thick and thin.
"Their loyalty and support have been humbling, and we are committed to repaying their faith with stronger performances in the future."
Former England captain Alastair Cook described the series as "the one that got away".
England had arrived down under with huge belief and were boosted by injuries to Australia captain Pat Cummins and bowling star Josh Hazlewood.
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Why did England lose the Ashes?
Video credit: TNT Sports
However, the failure of top order batters and wayward bowling spells came back to repeatedly haunt England throughout the series.
"Australia won all the big moments," Cook told TNT Sports.
"Every time the game was up for grabs, whether it was in the field, with the bat or with the ball, they won those moments.
"The 4-1 scoreline doesn’t flatter them. It is a fair reflection in the gulf between the sides."
Captain Ben Stokes agreed that England were often victims of their own downfall in Australia and that their self-sabotage cost them dearly.
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"We play too much 3/10 cricket in terms of the chances coming off and when you play cricket like that, the likelihood is it’s not going to fall your way in big moments," he told TNT Sports.
"I’ve just seen it happen quite a lot throughout this series. I think we can all be very honest as a team that we have done the damage to ourselves," Stokes said.
Brendon McCullum's position as head coach has come under scrutiny during the series but the New Zealander firmly believes he is the right person to continue in the role.
"As far as I am concerned, I am keen to carry on and that’s because of the excitement of what we could achieve in the next couple of years," he told TNT Sports.
Watch highlights from the 2025-26 Ashes series on TNT Sports and discovery+
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