Ian Botham warns England of 0-5 danger in Ashes 2025-26 after Perth Test disaster

England’s Ashes 2025-26 campaign has started in the worst possible way, and one of the biggest legends of the game, Ian Botham, is running out of patience. Ian Botham, one of the greatest all-rounders the game has ever seen, is extremely frustrated after watching England get crushed by Australia inside two days in the Ashes opener in Perth.

The former England captain is tired of seeing the same mistakes again and again. England’s famous Bazball approach may have looked exciting in the beginning, but recently, it has caused more problems than success. They couldn’t win the Test series in India earlier this year, and now they have already fallen behind 0-1 in the ongoing Ashes 2025-26.

Ian Botham furious over England’s poor start in Ashes 2025-26

The defeat in Perth was especially painful. England looked lost, and their aggressive style failed badly. This has left Botham worried that if nothing changes soon, Ben Stokes and his team could face a disastrous whitewash in the five-match Test series in Australia.

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Ian Botham was quoted as saying by PA News Agency, “It (Perth) was horrendous; there's no other word for it. England needs to fire up and fire up quickly. I'm fed up of hearing, 'This is the way we play.' If I hear it once more, I think I'll throw something at the television. If that's the way you play, you might as well go home now because it's going to be 5-0.”

What disappoints him the most is the lack of improvement. England seems stuck in the same pattern, refusing to adjust or slow down when needed. He feels the players must show more responsibility, more fight, and more respect for the situation when playing Test cricket.

The legendary cricketer further added, “They probably won't like me saying that, but they need to get their heads around it. I want more pride when I see people pulling that sweater on.”

Ian Botham calls on Joe Root and Ben Stokes to make their mark in the Ashes series

Meanwhile, Botham has pointed out that England’s Ashes tour in Australia is putting extra pressure on the batting maestro Joe Root and star all-rounder Ben Stokes. Both have done great at home, but winning in Australia is still a big challenge for them.

Stokes had a memorable debut in Australia 12 years ago with a century, while Root is still looking for his first hundred on Australian soil. The ongoing Ashes series gives them a chance to make a mark and prove themselves in one of the toughest cricket conditions.

Botham further explained, “People remember you for what you’ve done over here. In Joe and Ben, we’ve got two world-class players—Joe’s got 39 hundreds for goodness sake—but they are desperate to make an impression here. You can only do that by winning. They need to get the monkey off their back.”

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Ian Botham says winning in Australia will cement Joe Root and Ben Stokes’ legacy

With younger players getting chances in the team, the legendary all-rounder said that it is up to Root and Stokes to step up. Botham felt a strong performance in Australia would not only help England but also secure their place in cricket history and earn them lasting respect.

Botham signed off by saying, “They are the two who will want this the most because a lot of the others will get another bite at the cherry. I can tell you from experience, winning over here feels really, really good, and it means absolute respect. I don’t have a favorite time because every time you beat Australia is a great day. That alone should drive England.”