Ashes 2025-26: Joe Root backs team management despite England losing the urn

Veteran England batter Joe Root has said it would be “silly” to make changes in England’s team management after losing the Ashes, with players “absolutely committed” to the current set-up.

England meekly surrendered the famous urn after just 11 days of play with back-to-back eight-wicket defeats in Perth and Brisbane and an 82-run loss at Adelaide.

Its capitulation was compounded by criticism of its low-key preparations and allegations of excessive drinking during a mid-series beach break in Noosa.

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The team restored some pride with a frantic four-wicket win in Melbourne, snapping an 18-match winless streak on Australian soil.

It relieved pressure on coach Brendon McCullum, skipper Ben Stokes and cricket chief Rob Key, who have all indicated they want to stay in their roles.

“In terms of the playing group, we’re absolutely committed to the management,” Root, England’s all-time leading Test run-scorer and a former captain, told English media in Melbourne.

“Yes, we can be better, and there are certain areas that we’ll continue to keep working at, but the management works extremely hard.

“They might do things in a slightly different way, but I think we’ve made great strides as a group, and a big reason for it is because of the guys we have behind us.”

Management’s case to stay on would be strengthened by another win in the fifth Test in Sydney starting Sunday.

Root was captain on England’s last tour of Australia in 2021-22 when it was crushed 0-4, costing coach Chris Silverwood and cricket director Ashley Giles their jobs.

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But Root said a lot of progress had been made since under the current regime.

“You look at the group of players we’ve got, and you look at the guys that were involved in the team when I was captain, four years ago, and you look at their records individually, and every single one of them has improved as a player,” he said.

“This team has improved. I think it would be silly (to consider change) for the amount of hard work and things that have been done.”

Victory in Melbourne was Root’s first in Australia in more than a decade of trying, and he said it “would be better if we win next week as well”.

“If we can build on it and do it again next time, it’s momentum in the right direction for the next tour here (in 2029-30),” he added.

Published on Dec 29, 2025