Overview
- Jos Buttler told Sky Sports News he believes Ben Stokes has the drive to take England to the top of the Test rankings despite the 4-1 loss in Australia.
- England fell behind with three defeats inside 11 days across Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide before a consolation win at the MCG and a final loss in Sydney.
- Buttler called for a measured post-tour assessment that keeps the team’s key pillars intact while addressing areas that fell short.
- Preparation drew heavy criticism after only a single intra-squad warm-up at Lilac Hill, and head coach Brendon McCullum acknowledged that was an error.
- England’s mid-series break in Noosa attracted scrutiny, their Boxing Day victory was a first Test win in Australia in 15 years, and the Sydney result marked a 14th defeat in 28 matches.