‘Three stooges’: Geoffrey Boycott identifies the key figures behind England’s disastrous 4-1 Ashes defeat

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In his latest scathing column for The Telegraph on January 9, 2026, England legend Geoffrey Boycott delivered a blistering post-mortem following the conclusion of the Ashes 2025-26 series. Having watched England fall to a demoralizing 4-1 defeat in Australia, the 85-year-old former opener spared no one in the leadership group.

Boycott argued that the ‘Bazball’ era has devolved from an exciting experiment into a dangerous culture of entitlement and recklessness. He accused the team of lacking basic discipline, highlighting that their stubborn refusal to adapt to Australian conditions was the primary reason for their downfall. With his signature bluntness, Boycott demanded a complete overhaul of the coaching structure before England’s next Test assignment in June.

Boycott took direct aim at the three most powerful figures in England cricket, Head Coach Brendon McCullum, Managing Director Rob Key and Captain Ben Stokes, labeling them as the architects of England’s failure.

“England’s three wise men turned out to be the three stooges. Brendon McCullum, Rob Key, and Ben Stokes sold a lie for three years.” Boycott wrote.

Boycott’s primary grievance was the lack of consequences for poor performances, noting that under the current regime, players feel invincible regardless of their mistakes. Boycott observed: “Nobody tells them off, no accountability, and nobody gets dropped, so they just keep doing the same daft things. Why should the players change, adapt, or improve if the coach and captain are okay with it?” He further criticized Key for failing to exercise oversight, warning that if Key continues to blindly back McCullum’s ‘slapstick’ tactics, his own job could be at risk.

Also READ: Geoffrey Boycott proposes ‘two strong candidates’ to replace Brendon McCullum as England’s Test coach after Ashes 2025-26 defeat

Focusing his critique on the coaching philosophy, Boycott described McCullum as a leader who has fundamentally failed to evolve beyond a high-stakes gambling mindset. While acknowledging McCullum was initially a ‘breath of fresh air,’

Boycott wrote: “But he is a gambler who thinks he is always going to win his money back. That’s how casinos always win in the end… They don’t know when to stop or change their routine.” To fix this perceived arrogance, Boycott suggested that the ECB must force the leadership group to listen to “has-been” legends who actually know how to win Down Under. He urged Key to bring in greats like Ian Botham, Graham Gooch and David Gower to provide a “fresh and different” perspective, adding: “This sort of free license to do whatever you please with no consequence is holding England back. To get to the next level, we need a different discipline and structure.”

Also READ: 5 key reasons for England’s disastrous defeat in Ashes 2025-26 against Australia