Ashes 2025-26: ‘They’ve embraced entertainment over results’ – Chopra takes swipe after England’s 3-0 defeat

Ashes 2025-26: England’s 3-0 defeat (Photo source: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra took a dig at the England team after their 3-0 defeat in the Ashes on Sunday, which allowed Australia to retain the urn with two matches to spare. England had arrived with high confidence but now faced the prospect of a 5-0 whitewash.

Chopra made a subtle jibe at Ben Stokes’ side, saying he is already looking forward to the buildup for the next Ashes, when the best England team will tour Australia. His remark appeared to target the pre-series narrative, where several English experts had labelled the current squad as the strongest England side to visit Australia ahead of the 2025 Ashes series.

“Can’t wait for the build-up for the next time England goes to Australia. Surely, that’ll be the best English team to play #TheAshes. And the English cricket fans will lap it up. Can’t blame them either…they’ve embraced ‘entertainment’ over ‘results’ already,” Chopra posted on X.

Australia retained the Ashes on Sunday after Mitchell Starc produced a match-winning spell on the final day of the third Test, taking three of the last four wickets to halt England’s spirited fightback.

Chasing an improbable target of 435, England resumed Day 5 on 207 for 6, still 228 runs short, but were eventually bowled out as Australia sealed a 3-0 lead in the series. The result ensured Australia kept hold of the urn with two matches still to play.

The hosts had already gone 2-0 up under stand-in captain Steve Smith, recording convincing eight-wicket victories in Perth and Brisbane while regular skipper Pat Cummins was absent. Cummins returned for the third Test, though Smith missed the match due to vertigo.

England’s struggles in Australia continued, with their last Test win Down Under coming in January 2011. Since then, Australia have dominated at home, winning the series by margins of 5-0, 4-0, 4-0, and now 3-0. Melbourne hosts the Boxing Day Test from December 26, followed by the Sydney Test in the New Year.

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