Following a controversial two-day win in Melbourne, England heads into the final Ashes 2025 Test in Sydney. The match could define the Stokes–McCullum ‘Bazball’ era: a win salvages pride, while a loss may trigger a review of leadership and strategy.
The Ben Stokes-led England will head into the fifth and final Test of the Ashes 2025 series with an aim of ending their Australia tour on a high. England have lost the Ashes series, continuing their wait for regaining the urn since 2015, and the first Test series win on Australian soil since 2010.
The Three Lions suffered three successive losses in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide, leaving them trailing 0-3 in the five-match series and subsequently losing the Ashes 2025. However, Ben Stokes and his boys took their first step of salvaging the pride by winning the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The MCG Test win was England’s first red-ball victory on Australian soil since 2011, marking the end of a 15-year drought and giving them the much-needed boost in confidence ahead of the Sydney Test.
Nevertheless, England’s historic Test win at MCG was overshadowed by the controversy over the nature laid out for the Boxing Day Test, as the contest was wrapped up in two days, with 20 wickets on the opening day, falling to pace bowlers. The visitors chased down the 175-run target on the second day to secure a historic win.
‘A Complete Lottery in Melbourne’
The Melbourne Test was a major talking point of the ongoing Ashes 2025 series as the match sparked debate over the conditions and fairness of the contest. The pace attack of both sides dominated the proceedings across two days, leaving any chance for batters to settle or display true skill.
Right after England’s historic Test win, a former England captain took to his X handle (formerly Twitter) and hailed the Ben Stokes-led side for the victory, but the true cricket fans should not celebrate the win after seeing a Test match finishing in just two days.
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Ahead of the Sydney Test, Vaughan stated that England’s victory at the MCG was a ‘lottery’, adding that it was not a proper Test match and the team needed to win a full and proper match in Sydney.
“I think it’s a massive game for England [in Sydney]. It’s nice to win a game of cricket, but let’s be honest, it was a complete lottery in Melbourne. It wasn’t a proper game of Test match cricket,” Vaughan said as quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald.
“For the future and for this management in particular, they need to win a strong game of cricket here … that’s not a two-dayer,” he added.
A few days after the fourth Test concluded, the International Cricket Council (ICC) rated the MCG pitch as ‘unsatisfactory’, as there was not a balanced contest between the bat and ball, with the pacers from England and Australia dominating proceedings and leaving the batters with little chance to showcase their skills.
McCullum-Stokes’ Era to be Defined in Sydney
Further speaking about England’s chances of winning the Sydney Test, Michael Vaughan reckoned that the Ashes series final could define the captain–coach duo Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum’s era, as a heavy defeat would trigger honest conversations despite an internal backing for the management.
“For this management to carry on, the likes of Ben and Baz – I’m pretty sure they will carry on – but I think they need a good week for that to be absolutely rock solid,” the 2005 Ashes-winning captain said.
“There’s a huge appetite within the group to keep [McCullum] on. But fundamentally, if they get pummelled in Sydney, there needs to be some honest conversations,” Vaughan added.
Brendon McCullum took over the reins of England’s Test side as a head coach in 2022 and was instrumental in adapting the attacking style of cricket in the longest format of the game, which was nicknamed ‘Bazball’ by the English media.
The captain-coach duo of Ben Stokes and McCullum has revolutionized England’s Test cricket with their aggressive approach since 2022, but the approach has often been criticised for prioritising intent over consistency and results, especially in challenging overseas conditions.
Sydney Test Could Prove Decisive for McCullum-Stokes’ Era
The fifth and final Test of the ongoing Ashes 2025 series is crucial and could ultimately determine how the McCullum–Stokes era is judged after a difficult tour of Australia. Brendon McCullum has been under scrutiny after England lost the Ashes series, but may have earned some reprieve following the MCG Test victory, with a strong performance in Sydney potentially steadying the narrative around his tenure and providing momentum heading into the next Test series.
The Sydney Test is considered a critical assessment of the adaptability and sustainability of ‘Bazball’, which was considered a failure in Australian conditions. However, the approach was revived by Ben Duckett and Jacob Bethell during England’s 175-run chase in the Melbourne Test.
England are currently in a situation where it cannot afford a defeat in Sydney, as it might prompt the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to review the long-term direction of England’s Test strategy under the McCullum and Stokes’ leadership, Finishing the series 3-2 would be a better result than 4-1, as it would better reflect the England’s competitiveness in the series and easing the pressure on the Brendon McCullum-led management going forward.
It remains to be seen whether England can back up their MCG win with an all-round performance in Sydney and end the tour on a positive note in otherwise disappointing Ashes series campaign Down Under.