Win Projections to be updated soon
London, 12 October 2025:
England opener Zak Crawley says “Bazball” gets under Australia’s skin and that his team won’t be “nice guys” when they head Down Under for next summer’s Ashes series.
Speaking in an interview with The Times, Crawley said the aggressive, attacking style under coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes is designed to rattle opponents — and that Australia have been no exception.
“Bazball really winds them up, doesn’t it?” Crawley said. “Which is great. If they get wound up, that’s better for us.”
Crawley referenced the fallout from the 2023 series in England, which ended in a 2-2 draw after the controversial stumping of Jonny Bairstow by Alex Carey at Lord’s. “All that talk about the ‘moral Ashes’ was just because we drew the series,” he said. “If they’d won, they’d never have said it. It’s a compliment that they felt the need.”
The 26-year-old said England will not hold back in their on-field approach either. “Jonny Bairstow always said, ‘You’ve got to stick your chest out against Australia.’ He’s right. They’re very competitive and in your face, so you’ve got to stand up for yourself,” Crawley said. “We showed in India we’re not just nice guys who roll over. That’ll be important in Australia.”
Harry Brook, recently appointed vice-captain, also weighed in, saying that Australia captain Pat Cummins’ back injury could “play into” England’s hands. “With him out for the first game, hopefully that plays into our hands,” Brook said at a recent awards night. “He’s an amazing bowler, but they’ve got plenty of quicks, so we can’t take anyone lightly.”
Former captain Joe Root said he believes this is England’s best chance to win an Ashes series in Australia in more than a decade. “It definitely does, if I’m being brutally honest,” Root said. “We’re going there with a completely different approach. We’ve got the chance to hit them with something new — maybe three or four bowlers bowling 90mph-plus for sustained periods. It’s not the same formula expecting different results.”
All eyes will also be on Stokes’ fitness, with his teammates hopeful he can get through the five-Test series. “I’ve full faith he’ll be there,” Brook said. “Everybody knows what he’s like — he just cracks on. That’s how the team is built now.”
