Ashes 2025-26: ‘Bad experience is better than no experience’ - Vaughan warns ECB against overhaul

Despite England staring at another Ashes series defeat in Australia, which would mean they remain without the Urn since relinquishing it in 2021, former captain Michael Vaughan has urged caution against making wholesale changes to the team. Australia tightened their grip on the contest after Travis Head’s unbeaten century on Day 3 of the third Test at the Adelaide Oval, extending their lead to 356 runs with six wickets still in hand.

England’s much-discussed Bazball approach, adopted with optimism ahead of the series, has failed to produce the desired results and has come under intense scrutiny throughout the tour. A defeat in Adelaide would confirm a fourth successive Ashes series loss for England in Australia, extending their winless run to 17 consecutive Tests Down Under.

Historically, each Ashes defeat on Australian soil has triggered significant changes within the England setup. However, Vaughan believes the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) should resist the temptation to overhaul the squad yet again. He suggested that repeated resets have done little to improve long-term outcomes and that stability, rather than drastic change, may be the better path forward despite the looming series defeat.

“English cricket often works in four-year cycles, home and away Ashes series. One or two players need to go because they aren’t good enough at this level, but a number of them have enough talent. If they are coached and managed correctly, and given the right kind of preparation, they are going to be fine in four years. It’s the only way I can see that English cricket can possibly be competitive in Australia, if they stick with some of the players that have the experience. Bad experience is better than no experience,” Vaughan told the Ashes Debrief on BBC iPlayer as quoted by The Indian Express.

While the prospect of senior figures such as captain Ben Stokes and Joe Root touring Australia for another Ashes series appears unlikely at present, Vaughan believes there are still several players within England’s setup capable of earning another opportunity Down Under. He added that the remaining two Tests at Melbourne and Sydney would offer England valuable chances to learn and assess which players are best suited to succeed in Australian conditions going forward.

“I look back to 2002-03, we were 4-0 down and won in Sydney. I learnt a lot about the next few years from winning that one game. England can’t think there is nothing to gain from the next two games. If this goes wrong, and it looks like it may do, Melbourne and Sydney are still opportunities to learn for the next time they come or the next time they play Australia,” said Vaughan.