![England lose Ashes 1-4 [Source: AFP Photos]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1767887541988_benstokesashes(1).jpg?type=hq)
England lose Ashes 1-4 [Source: AFP Photos]
England performed on expected lines and failed to pull off any surprises to concede a 1-4 defeat in the Ashes 2025-26 series. Their struggles Down Under hit a new low this summer, with drawbacks duly exposed.
Despite the abysmal end to one of the most talked-about rivalries, England had a few players who exceeded expectations and outperformed the opposition. However, a few also let the team down in crucial stages.
As the Ashes wrapped up, let’s review England players’ individual performance and list a report card.
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Top-order batters
Zak Crawley 4/10
Opener Zak Crawley had a mixed run in Ashes 2025-26. He started with two consecutive ducks in the Perth Test but redeemed himself with two half-centuries, including an 85-run knock in the third Test.
Overall, he collected 273 runs in 10 innings at 27.30 average and 64.08 strike rate. While the numbers are not too bad, England certainly expected better from a player with 64 Test matches of experience under his belt.
Ben Duckett - 3/10
England saw both their openers struggle this summer, as Ben Duckett was nowhere close to his best on this tour, scoring just 202 runs in 10 innings at 20.20 average. He failed to score a single fifty, with his highest score being 42 in the SCG Test. Duckett’s form is believed to be one of the key reasons for England’s downfall in Australia.
Ollie Pope - 1/10
By far, the biggest disappointment for England in this series was Ollie Pope. In 6 innings, he scored just 125 runs at 20.83 average. His best came in the first Test, where he scored 33 and 46. Other than that, it was complete radio silence from Pope. After a 0-3 trail, England lost confidence in Pope, and he was dropped for the remainder of the series.
Middle-order batters
Joe Root - 9/10
After years of struggles Down Under, Joe Root finally had his moment of redemption. He broke his century drought in the second Test and followed it up with another 160-run inning in the final inning of the fifth Test.
In 10 innings total, Root scored 400 runs with a 44.44 average, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer of the series. Had he gotten more support, England’s fate would have been different.
Harry Brook - 7/10
Promising batter Harry Brook had an above-average series statistically. In 5 Tests, he accumulated 358 runs at 39.78 average, including two fifties. However, Brook often gifted his wickets away in the worst possible stage possible.
Whenever England needed stability, Brook was seen wasting his starts by playing rash shots in the name of Bazball. That self-sabotage killed England’s momentum multiple times.
Jamie Smith - 4/10
Wicket-keeper Jamie Smith again had an underwhelming tour, scoring 211 runs in five Tests at 23.44 average and just one half-century. Smith followed in Brook’s footsteps and wasted his wickets multiple times on rash shots.
He faced severe criticism from former cricketers for his lack of game awareness and poor shot selection. Had Smith been more cautious and sensible with his approach, he would have proved useful for his team.
All-rounders
Ben Stokes - 8/10
Skipper Ben Stokes was right on the money as an all-rounder. He scored 184 runs in 10 innings with two half-centuries, including an 83-run knock in the third Test. With the ball, he was more lethal, picking 15 wickets at a 40.47 strike rate, including a five-wicket-haul in the Perth Test.
But as captain, Ben Stokes struggled. He failed to rotate his bowlers, misjudged field placements and delayed the new ball advantage. The skipper seemed under tremendous pressure, and injury issues late into the Ashes only worsened his case.
Jacob Bethell - 8/10
22-year-old Jacob Bethell got an opportunity to play two Tests, and he made his mark by hitting his maiden Test century in the fifth game at SCG. In four innings, he accumulated 205 runs at 51.25 average. The youngster still has a long way to go. But his early promising signs gave England hope for a better future.
Will Jacks - 5/10
All-rounder Will Jacks was given priority as England’s frontline spinner, but he failed to match expectations. With the bat, he contributed 145 runs in seven innings at 20.71 average while picking 6 wickets with the ball. Jacks’ inexperience in the red-ball format was exposed, and England paid the price of not trusting Shoaib Bashir.
Brydon Carse - 8/10
More than an all-rounder, Brydon Carse made a difference as a specialist fast bowler, picking up 22 wickets at 30.32 average, including 5 three-wicket-hauls. With the bat, however, Carse scored just 99 runs in all five Tests combined. Carse finished as the second leading wicket-taker of the series, and if judged just for his bowling, Brydon did the job pretty well.
Bowlers
Jofra Archer - 7/10
In three Tests that he played, Jofra Archer grabbed 9 wickets at 53.33 average, including a five-wicket-haul in Adelaide. Archer bowled tight spells with the new ball, and the Aussie conditions suited him. However, his body broke down as an injury cut his series short. But for the time he spent, Archer’s performance was above-average.
Gus Atkinson - 5/10
Atkinson also played three games and picked six wickets at 73.00 strike rate. He bowled expensive spells and was mostly ineffective. Even in pace-friendly conditions like Perth, Gus Atkinson conceded 85 runs in two spells combined without a single wicket.
Josh Tongue - 8/10
The only pacer who showed grit after Carse was Josh Tongue. In six innings, he picked 18 wickets at 20.17 average, including a five-wicket-haul in Melbourne. Even in Perth, he grabbed a four-fer. Tongue troubled senior batters like Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith. He redeemed himself after a year-long layoff and proved why his comeback was worth the wait.
