This is an article assessing England's performance in their Ashes series against Australia in 2025-26. Here are the key points:
**Captaincy and Leadership**
* Ben Stokes was nowhere near his tactical best as captain, but his bowling form was excellent.
* Stokes wants to stay as captain, but should have come into the attack earlier with some of his fellow bowlers.
**Batsmen**
* Joe Root had a quiet series, scoring 400 runs at an average of 44.44, including two tons in Brisbane and Sydney.
* Jamie Smith struggled with the bat, getting out against Marnus Labuschagne in the SCG finale, and was left out of the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka and T20 World Cup.
* Ben Stokes scored 184 runs at an average of 18.40, including a resolute 83 in Adelaide.
**Bowlers**
* Josh Tongue proved himself to be the pick of the England bowlers, taking 18 wickets at an average of 20.11, including a five-wicket haul on day one of the Boxing Day Test.
* Mark Wood struggled with his form, turning out only once before being injured and possibly ending his England career.
**Key Performances**
* Tongue's fuller, more attacking lengths, awkward angle, and ability to dismiss good players made him a real handful for Australia.
* The England bowlers were excellent in the first innings at Perth, but struggled in the second, particularly against Travis Head.
Overall, the article assesses that England had a mixed series, with some positive performances from certain players, but also areas for improvement.
**Captaincy and Leadership**
* Ben Stokes was nowhere near his tactical best as captain, but his bowling form was excellent.
* Stokes wants to stay as captain, but should have come into the attack earlier with some of his fellow bowlers.
**Batsmen**
* Joe Root had a quiet series, scoring 400 runs at an average of 44.44, including two tons in Brisbane and Sydney.
* Jamie Smith struggled with the bat, getting out against Marnus Labuschagne in the SCG finale, and was left out of the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka and T20 World Cup.
* Ben Stokes scored 184 runs at an average of 18.40, including a resolute 83 in Adelaide.
**Bowlers**
* Josh Tongue proved himself to be the pick of the England bowlers, taking 18 wickets at an average of 20.11, including a five-wicket haul on day one of the Boxing Day Test.
* Mark Wood struggled with his form, turning out only once before being injured and possibly ending his England career.
**Key Performances**
* Tongue's fuller, more attacking lengths, awkward angle, and ability to dismiss good players made him a real handful for Australia.
* The England bowlers were excellent in the first innings at Perth, but struggled in the second, particularly against Travis Head.
Overall, the article assesses that England had a mixed series, with some positive performances from certain players, but also areas for improvement.
. Like, if he's having an off game as captain, shouldn't he be more involved in the attack to try and turn it around? But at the same time, his bowling form was insane 
. I get why he wants to stay on as captain, but can't they just give him a bit more autonomy to make calls on the pitch?
? One match and out of the tour? It feels like England is playing it too safe when it comes to selecting their teams. I mean, we need players who are willing to take risks and put in big performances. It's not just about getting out against good batsmen, it's about making a statement on the biggest stage.
. That guy's got some serious skills and he needs to be recognized as one of England's top bowlers. Mark Wood's form has been a bit all over the place, but I still believe in him – hopefully he can get back on track soon.
. He did have his ups and downs, but like you said, his bowling form was fire 
! Josh Tongue stepped up big time as the pick of the bowlers 
, and England's batting team is still pretty solid with Joe Root 
, he just needs to work on his game 
. And yeah, Mark Wood's form was way off 
... fingers crossed he'll bounce back stronger 
!
Jamie Smith getting left out of the Sri Lanka tour is also a good reminder that mistakes happen, but what matters is how you learn from them and grow... 
. And yeah, Josh Tongue is a revelation! His bowling skills are insane, and he's definitely got what it takes to be one of England's top bowlers 
. Maybe they should've relied on him more instead of leaving him on the sidelines? 
I don't know if Mark Wood's struggles are the end of his England career though... that sounds like a bit harsh 
.
anyway ben stokes still did ok with 184 runs, thats defo better than joe root's 400 runs lol just sayin 
. And what about Ben Stokes' poor captaincy? Shouldn't he be under the microscope too? 
at least mark wood was tryna make an impact before he got injured lol like what were they even doing on that white-ball tour of sri lanka tho? 
and whats up with josh tongue being the only one who came through for england?? ben stokes is still a great player but c'mon captain you gotta step ur game up 
England's Ashes performance was like a puzzle 
- some pieces fitted together nicely 
, while others felt kinda wonky 
and take risks earlier 
, dominating Aussie batsmen with his new-look attack 
. Jamie Smith's batting woes 
are a bummer 
, and Mark Wood's injury is a big blow 
.
, especially with Joe Root's solid form 
and Ben Stokes' resolute 83 
. But overall, it was an uneven series 
- room for improvement 
. I mean, Tongue was on fire throughout the series, but we knew that already 
. It's a shame about Smith, he seemed to struggle with pressure, maybe they should've brought him back in for some white-ball games later? Anyway, England can't complain too much, 2-1 isn't bad considering Australia is one of the strongest teams right now 
.