Ashwin Says England Played Carelessly After Big Ashes Loss

Former Indian spinner R Ashwin strongly criticised England after their poor performance in the first Ashes 2025 Test against Australia in Perth. The match ended in less than two days, with Australia winning easily by eight wickets. England’s batting collapsed in both innings, as they failed to cross even 200 runs. No English batter stayed long at the crease, and none of them faced more than 61 balls. Ashwin said their approach was extremely careless and far from what is expected in Test cricket.

Ashwin especially targeted England’s aggressive style of play, popularly known as Bazball. He said that England’s players were taking unnecessary risks without understanding the match situation. According to him, their attacking plan looked more like “reckless cricket” than smart batting. He added that calling their style reckless may not even be enough, because they kept repeating the same mistakes despite losing wickets quickly.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin explained that many young players today take big risks even when fielders are placed on the boundary. He said this habit is not limited to England, as even some young Indian players tend to try lofted shots in the wrong moments. Ashwin questioned how a team can continue playing attacking shots without thinking, especially after being bowled out for only 172 runs on the first day of the Test.

Ashwin also pointed out that England missed a big opportunity. After their bowlers fought back and gave them a small 40-run lead, the batters should have played responsibly. He said that a batting unit’s first duty is to give their bowlers enough rest so they can return fresh for the next innings. Ashwin explained how India’s head coach Rahul Dravid always advises players to give bowlers proper recovery time. Instead, England’s batters collapsed again, forcing their bowlers back onto the field very quickly.

England were dismissed cheaply for the second time, which left Australia needing only about 200 runs to win — a very small target in Test cricket. Ashwin said that England’s bowlers would have wanted rest, but they were forced to return to the field almost immediately because the batters played irresponsibly. He said this put extra pressure on the bowlers and made the defeat even more disappointing.

Responding indirectly to former England captain Michael Vaughan, who said England know how to make a comeback, Ashwin said he hopes they do recover quickly. Otherwise, he warned that the Ashes tour could become very long and very difficult for them if their batting continues to collapse like this.

Ashwin further discussed how the modern, fearless batting style has limits. He said taking risks is part of the game, but a team must understand when to attack and when to defend. According to him, England looked like they were playing the same way in every situation without adapting to conditions. He added that Test cricket requires patience, awareness and maturity — which England completely lacked in the first match.

Australia’s dominant win has given them an early 1-0 lead in the Ashes series. Their bowlers exploited the conditions beautifully, while their batters chased the small target comfortably. England, meanwhile, have several issues to fix before the next Test. Ashwin’s comments reflect the serious concerns many former players have about England’s Bazball method when it fails under pressure.