Bazball Busted? After Ashes Humiliation, Will England Sack Brendon McCullum And Bring In Ravi Shastri To Tame Australia?
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri’s proven record against Australia has come into focus as England’s struggles continue in the ongoing Ashes series. England head coach Brendon McCullum is under renewed scrutiny following another disappointing Ashes campaign in Australia, where Ben Stokes’ side surrendered the series inside 11 days. The defeat has raised questions about England’s long-term direction under McCullum and the effectiveness of the aggressive ‘Bazball’ philosophy in demanding overseas conditions.
With England again falling short in a marquee series, debate has intensified around whether the current leadership model can deliver consistent success against elite opposition.
Ravi Shastri as England Head Coach
Former England spinner Monty Panesar has now added to the debate by proposing former India head coach Ravi Shastri as a potential successor, citing his proven record in Australia.
Speaking to journalist Ravi Bisht on his YouTube channel, Panesar said England should consider who is best equipped to challenge Australia in their own conditions.
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“You have to think who exactly knows how to beat Australia? How do you take advantage of Australia’s weaknesses, mentally, physically, and tactically? I think Ravi Shastri should become England’s next head coach,” Panesar said.
Ravi Shastri’s Record in Australia
Under Shastri’s tenure, India achieved two historic Test series victories in Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The first, in 2018-19, marked India’s maiden series win on Australian soil.
India repeated the feat in 2020-21 in remarkable circumstances, recovering from being bowled out for 36 in the Adelaide pink-ball Test and navigating the remainder of the series with a squad severely affected by injuries.
Bazball Failed? Brendon McCullum’s Tenure As England Head Coach
McCullum was appointed by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) men’s managing director Rob Key in 2022, in the aftermath of England’s 4-0 Ashes defeat. Alongside Stokes, he oversaw a rapid shift in approach, encouraging an attacking style that initially transformed England’s Test fortunes.
The results were striking. England won 10 of their first 11 Tests under the new leadership, prompting widespread optimism about a sustained revival.
That early momentum, however, has not been maintained. England have failed to win any of their five-match Test series against Australia or India since, losing 16 of their subsequent 33 matches. The current Ashes series has underlined those struggles, with England trailing 0-3 with two Tests still to play.
Asked in Melbourne whether he expected to remain in charge for the home summer next year, McCullum said, “I don’t know. It’s not really up to me, is it? I will just keep trying to do the job, try to learn the lessons that I haven’t quite got right here and make adjustments. Those questions are for someone else, not for me,” he said.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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