Michael Vaughan has issued a stark warning that "judgement time" has arrived for England’s Ashes leadership, following a humiliating two-day defeat against Australia in Perth – a first in 104 years.
The pressure has intensified ahead of next week’s day/night Test in Brisbane, particularly after managing director Rob Key, head coach Brendon McCullum, and captain Ben Stokes controversially opted against sending senior players to a crucial pink-ball practice match in Canberra.
This decision has been met with widespread disappointment and incredulity, not least from Vaughan, who now asserts that those at the helm face their moment of truth.
Speaking on the Overlap’s Stick to Cricket podcast, Vaughan reflected on the 2023 series, stating: "They went 2-0 down in 2023 (later drawing 2-2) and we all gave them a little bit of rope because they were just at the start of the journey."
He added a scathing assessment of the current situation: "Have you learned from ’23? From what I’ve seen this week the honest answer is no they haven’t, which disappoints me."
Vaughan concluded: "When you’re in positions of power and leadership you can do exactly what you want but then you get judged on it. This is judgement time. At the minute they’ve had one opportunity here in Australia and it hasn’t worked."
Meanwhile, opener Zak Crawley finds himself under increasing scrutiny, heading to Queensland with a Test average now below 31, following two ducks in the first Test.
England have long tipped him for success on this tour, and he could hardly have imagined a worse start.
Despite this, Sir Alastair Cook, who famously scored 766 runs in the triumphant 2010-11 Ashes, believes Crawley will be afforded the entire series before any selection changes are considered.
Cook explained on the podcast: "He’s been picked and backed for three years for this moment. England are happy with three innings (a series) out him, and those three innings tend to be unbelievable. He’s now got to deliver three out of eight for it to work."
He added: "The decision on Zak will be whether this works over next eight innings. Okay, he’s grabbed a pair, which is horrendous, but it happens.
“It doesn’t change anything about Zak Crawley. They just back him, they can’t change now and they won’t change until after Sydney (the final Ashes Test)."
