Ashes 2025-26: ‘Bazball built to win in Australia’ - Ex-Australian skipper hails England’s strategy and balance

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting has heaped high praise on the visiting England side led by Ben Stokes, calling them the strongest English squad to tour Australia in more than two decades. According to Ponting, the current group represents the most formidable and well-balanced England team of the modern era, raising the excitement ahead of the highly anticipated Ashes series.

The two-time World Cup-winning captain went beyond routine pre-series commentary, offering a glowing endorsement of England’s structure. Ponting noted that the squad’s blend of aggressive intent under Stokes’ leadership and the tactical sharpness of coach Brendon McCullum has transformed them into a highly confident and competitive unit.

“England are talking themselves up more; they’re confident coming to Australia with the group of players they’ve got and fair enough, this is the best team they’ve had probably this century. Their balance, experience, fast bowling attack looks well-suited to conditions.” said Ponting on SEN.

Ponting elaborated on the strengths that underpin his high praise, describing England as a team that has found the perfect blend of aggression and balance. He emphasised that this squad possesses exceptional strategic depth, featuring multi-dimensional players capable of influencing games with both bat and ball.

The former Australian skipper attributed much of England’s resurgence to the transformative leadership of Stokes and McCullum, whose fearless Bazball philosophy has reshaped the landscape of Test cricket. Ponting suggested that this ultra-aggressive approach was not just a reaction to the modern game but a carefully crafted plan aimed at one ultimate mission. England’s stunning record under the Stokes-McCullum era, 25 wins in 41 Tests, is no coincidence but the result of a well-defined strategy.

“If you break it down, this whole Bazball phenomenon, the way they play their cricket is about Brendon putting a group together that can play in Australia. I don’t think it’s been about anything other than winning in Australia,” said Ponting.

Ponting added that the upcoming Ashes series sets up a fascinating clash of styles between a record-breaking, fearless English side and the traditional, disciplined Australian approach on home soil. He concluded by noting that this collision of ideologies, Bazball versus the Baggy Green blueprint, is exactly what elevates the series beyond just another sporting event.

“We know how England wants to play, we know how Australia plays. The two different ways coming together in Perth will be unbelievable,” Ponting concluded.