The 2025 Ashes started with a bang in Perth. England got crushed by Australia in just two days. Fans were shocked, and cricket experts worldwide had strong opinions. Ravichandran Ashwin, the former Indian spinner, was one of the loudest, calling England’s Bazball strategy reckless. This came after England’s batting failed. They scored under 200 in both innings. No player lasted more than 61 balls, showing they were impatient and couldn’t adjust to classic Test cricket.
Ashwin talked about whether England’s super-aggressive strategy really works. He asked if their choices were just plain careless. He thinks it’s not just a few players getting out; it’s a problem with how the whole batting team thinks. He also noted that more and more players in cricket are taking unnecessary risks, like trying to hit the ball over the fielders even when they’re close to the boundary. Ashwin stressed that this shows a concerning lack of awareness and responsibility during matches.
England’s loss in the first Test wasn’t just because of their aggressive batting style; they also didn’t manage the game well after getting bowled out for only 172 in their first innings. England’s bowlers showed great spirit and fought their way back into the game, taking a 40-run lead. This should have been when they took control. Ashwin pointed out that in these situations, the batters should make sure the bowlers get enough rest so they can come back fresh. He quoted Rahul Dravid, saying that a rested bowling attack always does better. But England did the opposite. Instead of working hard to get a good score, they fell apart again, leaving their bowlers with almost no rest and giving Australia a small target to chase. As Ashwin said, the bowlers probably wanted a break, but they had to go back on the field in no time to defend a small score of about 200.
Ashwin answered Michael Vaughan’s comments, too. Vaughan said he was sure England would recover. Ashwin said that kind of hope can only do so much if England keeps playing carelessly. He warned that if England doesn’t seriously rethink how they’re playing, the rest of this Ashes tour could be rough. Australia has already been winning big since the first game. England is feeling a lot of pressure to change their strategy and remember the basics of Test cricket: patience, discipline, and knowing what’s going on. Ashwin’s criticism is direct and shows what many people think: playing aggressively can be fun, but without balance and innovative thinking, it can quickly turn into a disaster, like England saw in the first Ashes 2025 game.