![Greg Chappell's honest advice for England [Source: @SpreadingVibes4, @FoxCricket/X.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1763984303773_Greg_Chappell_England_Ashes.jpg?type=hq)
Greg Chappell's honest advice for England [Source: @SpreadingVibes4, @FoxCricket/X.com]
England suffered a crushing blow in the first Test of the Ashes 2025 series after losing by eight wickets to Australia in Perth. But instead of calling for big changes, former Australian captain Greg Chappell has delivered a clear message to England, which is to avoid panic.
England, defending 205 runs, got bamboozled by Travis Head, who scored 123 runs off 83 balls to guide Australia to victory in 28.2 overs.
Greg Chappell urges England not to panic after ugly Ashes start
Meanwhile, former Australian captain Greg Chappell believes England must stay calm and not make rushed decisions after the heavy defeat.
In his column in Cricinfo, Chappell said captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum should sit down with the team and have honest discussions about what went wrong.
“Panic is not the answer. Cold, calm discussion must take place, grounded in the unvarnished truth of the situation. McCullum and Stokes hold the leadership keys because they alone know the full extent of the structural damage, the vulnerabilities, and crucially, which areas of the edifice remain sound," Chappell said.
According to him, only the team leaders know where the real problems are and how strong the team still is inside.
"The structure is sound enough to escape. But England must not listen to the shouts; they must learn the lessons. Only then can they hope to get back on the course, lest the race be over before the end of the first straight," he added.
He warned England not to listen too much to outside noise, criticism, and media pressure. Chappell said reacting emotionally could lead to more bad decisions and make the situation worse.
Instead, he advised England to focus on learning from its mistakes and sticking to clear plans.
“They know that listening to the shouting outside will only lead them down a blind alley, or worse, cause them to add insult to injury by making the wrong decision."
Chappell calls for review of bowling strategy
Greg Chappell also said that England must change their approach and start pitching the ball up more to challenge the batters.
“The most critical tactical error was the length they bowled in both innings. It is a mistake many touring teams have fallen for at the WACA and now at the new Optus Stadium. England’s bowlers, perhaps seduced by the bounce, bowled too short too often."
He felt the bowlers pitched the ball too short at Perth. The fast bounce of the pitch tempted them into bowling short balls, which helped Australian batters.
“England must prepare for the home attack – Starc, Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett – to pitch it up relentlessly. The English bowlers must reciprocate. This is no time for tentative half-measures; the mantra for the bowling unit must be: if in doubt, pitch it up."
Despite the heavy loss, Greg Chappell pointed out that England were not totally outplayed. He said England had strong moments and were even in winning positions at times during the match.
“For all the talk of a humbling loss, the truth is that England had many positives from the match and were, arguably, in a winning position more than once. Australia won because they were superior in three critical areas and had a more robust plan for the specific conditions in Perth."
Meanwhile, the next Test is scheduled at the Gabba in Brisbane on December 4.
