Ashes: Stuart Broad on Ben Stokes’ England captaincy, Brendon McCullum’s future and Jacob Bethel’s first Test ton | Cricket News

I worked for an Australian company during this Ashes series and the respect their fans and former players have for Ben Stokes is incredible.

Effort, heart, warrior mode – what Australians want from their athletes you get from Stokes every time and they will say they wish he was in their side.

But I don’t think he was at his best tactically this winter; it was probably the worst series I’ve seen as captain.

However, I always believe that a captain is only as good as their bowlers. They can make the captain look pretty silly if you field and they don’t fall for him.

It was a frustration for me all the time. The bowlers were not able to consistently hit any type of pitch in the conditions that favored them.

Hitting the top and doing the basics well was what you needed. They didn’t and they made the captain look a little crazy.

Brydon Cares opening the bowling was never in the cards, but then injuries to Geoffrey Archer and Gus Atkinson occurred.

Maybe Josh Tong doesn’t like the feel of the new ball, but I thought Kars bowled too long with it, too long spells with it.

He couldn’t sustain the length at all and allowed Australia to start flying. Then you’re on the back foot.

Stokes, as our best line and length bowler, threw himself under the ball – he should have started the sessions to set the tone – and Joe Root’s spin was also susceptible.

So it wasn’t Stokes’ best series, but he didn’t have a bowling attack that could execute the plans and I dare say – because I’m not sure you can feel this – he wanted it too much.

Of course you want it, you care so much about this, but maybe he put too much pressure on himself to deliver. He looked stressed throughout the whole thing.

“McCallum and ECB must align or split”

As for the coach, Brendon McCullum, if I were the chief executive of England cricket – which I’m not – I’d invite him in, probably over a glass of wine, and say: ‘Buzz, tell me what you see going forward? What are your different playing styles and what personnel would you like to include?’.

If they really haven’t sat with how I believe the team should be moving forward, then there’s no way to move forward. I would put it on McCullum first, rather than saying “I want to see this” because I want to hear from him and what the adaptation is going to be like.

I think it’s important as a coach and player to do it your way. Then you are authentic in what you believe. But the best sports coaches adapt to the players they have.

When Buzz came in he sent messages to the bed of Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jimmy Anderson and myself. Players experienced enough to say ‘I know what I’m doing and I can improve’.

When you’re sending those messages to younger players who also don’t know their game and are still on their feet, then maybe things are harder to implement.

I didn’t see McCullum taking players off but I only had a short 18 months under him where he didn’t need to because we had some brilliant results.

I don’t think it’s his natural nature, but that doesn’t mean a hitting coach can’t come in and say, ‘What’s the game plan here?’

“England must be smarter – and Bethel has shown the way”

We’ve heard of playing with freedom, but that doesn’t mean you don’t play smart. Jamie Smith’s knock in the first innings at the SCG was terrible cricket.

Watch Jacob Bethell hit his hundred. Off the tops of his bounds, he saved and left the ball – he was on 99 for about 20 minutes. It was a real Test innings that left Ricky Ponting purring.

And for me, it’s not a responsibility for the coach to come to me and tell me, that’s a matter for my teammates.

If I had a bad spell, Jimmy Anderson would say ‘your knees are bad, your body language is terrible’. Alastair Cook would say ‘I need more of you’.

Giving up on a coach never works. Chris Silverwood, from memory, showed all their cancellations when we were last here in Australia, which didn’t work in any way, shape or form.

Ultimately, this tour feels like a real missed opportunity.

Australia had an experienced team that crossed the line in pressure scenarios when England melted away. They didn’t show any awareness of game situations – but that comes with experience and the more you play.

Clearly, they need to find a spinner to book and give him experience on many different surfaces, but I think the top seven players will remain as they are.

However, you can’t talk about a good game and then deliver what England delivered here. I have no doubt that there will be conversations about adapting the style.

Stuart Broad spoke on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast.

Ashes series in Australia 2025-26