England Face Some Hard Questions After The Ashes Mauling

The Ashes are over. England got smashed 4–1 — and now the inquest begins. After another defeat, the focus shifts away from individual moments and onto the bigger picture: preparation, selection, leadership, and whether England’s approach to Test cricket is genuinely fit for touring Australia. In this episode of Close of Play, Sanjay Murthy and former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones conduct a calm, forensic post-series review — assessing what England got wrong, what (if anything) improved, and where hard decisions now have to be made. This isn’t point-scoring. It’s about accountability, clarity, and what comes next. 👇 Subscribe to Close of Play Accessible, informed cricket conversation — with a sense of humour, even when the verdict is tough. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Now the inquest 01:10 – Series ends 4–1: what does it really say? 02:45 – Preparation vs execution 05:20 – Selection mistakes that compounded 08:15 – Leadership under pressure 11:00 – What England actually learned 14:30 – Who comes out of this stronger? 18:05 – Who faces hard questions? 22:10 – The Ashes model: broken or fixable? 26:00 – What touring Australia now requires 30:20 – What must change before the next cycle 34:30 – Final verdict #ashes #testcricket #cricketdebate #englishcricket #ashes2025 #closeofplay #cricket #australiacricket #sanjaymurthycricket