Nothing hurts more for England than an Ashes defeat away from home—especially losing the series in just 11 days during the ongoing tour Down Under. Coach Brendon McCullum has found himself in the firing line for his “Bazball” philosophy, which senior cricketers feel has damaged England’s Test cricket.
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McCullum’s Uncertain Future
Although McCullum’s contract was recently extended through 2027, covering the next home Ashes and the 2027 Cricket World Cup in Africa, his future now looks uncertain. Following this heavy loss, it remains to be seen whether the management will continue to back him or if he will be axed. With the 2025-26 Ashes results failing to go England’s way and the team currently reeling at 3-1, the hunt for the England new head coach may have already begun. Former England spinner Monty Panesar has already sparked debate by suggesting Ravi Shastri as England coach as McCullum’s successor.
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Ravi Shastri as England Coach：A Wild Suggestion From Former England Cricketer Monty Panesar?
In an interview with journalist Ravish Bisht on his YouTube Channel, Panesar said that England requires a coach who knows how to beat Australia in their backyard. The former England cricketer made a valid point,
“You have to think, who exactly knows how to beat Australia? How will you take advantage of Australia’s weakness, mentally, physically, and tactically? I think Ravi Shastri should become England’s next head coach,” said Panesar.
Ravi Shastri, during his tenure as Indian head coach, won back-to-back Test series in the tour down under against Australia in 2018/19 (2-1) and in 2020/21 (2-1). Even with the team that carried multiple injuries during the 2020/21 series, Shastri’s influence within the team stood out as a result; India made a tremendous bounce back in the series despite bundling out just for 36 in the opening Test at Adelaide.
Monty Panesar backs Ravi Shastri to become the new England Head Coach. (Ravish Bisht). pic.twitter.com/T44aZYaogW
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 25, 2025
A coach is not only someone who will work on the technical aspects of the game, but he should also be well-versed with the mental side, and to be able to motivate the players in big games. The 63-year-old Ravi Shastri, who has represented India in 230 matches across formats, brings a lot to the table, and he is an ideal candidate to become England new head coach. He is a straightforward man and knows how to handle the media, which stems from his extensive experience as a commentator and his close proximity to the English media. More importantly, Shastri’s ability to gel with the players is a remarkable characteristic of his, and he fosters a strong bond within the team. He exactly knows how to bring the best from the players.
“You have to think: who exactly knows how to beat Australia? How do you take advantage of Australia’s weaknesses, mentally, physically, and tactically? I think Ravi Shastri should become England’s next head coach.”
~ Monty Panesar
pic.twitter.com/XD1VZmIFS0— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) December 24, 2025
Monty Panesar has just given his thoughts about England new head coach, but the reality lies differently. First, there should be mutual understanding between the ECB and Ravi Shastri. There will be a lot of conditions to become the England head coach. Shastri, at the moment, is busy with a lot of commentary assignments, wherever India travels, and he is a leading commentator in the cash-rich Indian Premier League. If he becomes England’s new head coach, he has to make a lot of sacrifices. At the age of 63, he is not keen to shift to the new country.
Is it time to end Bazball and bring in a new head coach for England? 🤔🏴
With England continuing to struggle despite having a strong squad, do you think a change at the top is needed? 🤔
Which of the three icons would you pick to replace Brendon McCullum as the next head… pic.twitter.com/sdTvpRdkCO
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) December 25, 2025
Why Ashes 2025-26 Results are Not the End of the Road for Brendon McCullum?
Ashes 2025-26 results didn’t favor England, who already lost the high-profile series with still two matches to be played. Playing a predictable, aggressive brand of cricket despite the challenging conditions has led to their downfall in Australia. Conditions from England to Australia differ hugely. In England, they almost make a batting-friendly wicket, as we witnessed during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, where all five Test matches went into the final day. It makes sense to play in the Bazball style of cricket; however, in Australia, it’s entirely different. The conditions pose a huge challenge for the batters, where the pitches offer extra bounce.
Monty Panesar backs Ravi Shastri as a leading option to coach England
(Monty Panesar, Ravi Shastri, ENGvAUS, CricTracker) pic.twitter.com/PxQIu7ryMB
— CricTracker (@Cricketracker) December 25, 2025
In fact, Brendon McCullum has worked a lot with this England team after assuming duties. At the time, English cricket was at its lowest point in the longest format back in 2022. His coaching methodologies have worked wonders initially; in the first 19 Test matches, he delivered 14 wins, when the opposition wasn’t aware of the new style of cricket from the Three Lions. However, the next phase didn’t go his way as he guided England to only 11 wins in the next 25 matches.
Could Ravi Shastri be the perfect fit to lead England’s cricket team? 🏏 Monty Panesar thinks so! Share your thoughts — would Shastri’s leadership be the game-changer England needs? 🔥 pic.twitter.com/bJIGEnmdS4
— CricketGully (@thecricketgully) December 25, 2025
At this point, sacking Brendon McCullum from England’s head coach job doesn’t make sense following the Ashes 2025-26 results. The current England Test cricket team has been playing a good brand of cricket, keeping the format alive, which not many teams have done in the modern era. Under McCullum, England has chased down 300-plus totals in the 4th innings on numerous occasions; this was achieved only because of McCullum’s guidance. Yes, he hasn’t won a Test series against big teams Australia and India, but he has delivered good numbers against the rest. With many big ICC events and the home Ashes coming up in the next couple of years, England needs McCullum’s services. So, Ravi Shastri as England coach in the future is only limited for a discussion.
