Jobs can be saved in Sydney Ashes Test – McGrath

Australia’s unbeaten Ashes Tests run was always going to come to an end.

It was obviously disappointing for us Australians in the commentary boxes that it came to an 18-game tie with England winning in Melbourne, but not devastating.

I can’t figure out how England managed to lose 16 out of 18 before that, which had been going on for almost 15 years.

It must be the mental and tactical side of the game, as I suggested last week because they have had some strong players during that time (Joe Root, Ben Stokes, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, and others).

We initially wondered how it would play when we learned that the surface would have 10mm of grass, especially since the last year’s Boxing Day Test against India had 3mm less and ended the fifth day’s session.

Although the bowlers were bowled too far, the outcome left me to wonder about some of the batters’ methods and application.

How much did they actually use their own resources and formulate different strategies to counteract the moving ball?

Not enough, in my opinion. However, it did absolutely set the tone for England.

Over the past few weeks, months, and years, bazball has been so extensively discussed, but England’s aggressive batting style is best suited for fourth innings batting.

They do a fantastic chasing.

Their attacking attack aids in pursuing targets, as they did against India in 2022 and 2025, respectively, in their 378 and 371 pursuits. Even with the ball moving around, it was still challenging this time, even with only 175 runs available.

I wonder why Stokes won the toss and decided to bat in the first two Tests of this series, especially on a pitch like that of Melbourne, in Perth.

I appreciate the benefits of hindsight, but I’m curious if Stokes, if given the chance, would do it once more.

Stokes is attempting to win the fifth Test in Sydney with the monkey on his back.

Even though a 3-2 defeat would undoubtedly improve England’s record over a 4-1 defeat, it would be even more frustrating in many ways because it would only reinforce what was already there.

With more mental and tactical strength than they have in the past, England could have won this series against Australia.

They must not think that way before the upcoming Test, of course.

Even if a score of 3-2 would cause frustration, the review that follows this series, which is even more crucial for the coaching staff than the players, may save jobs.

These players are talented, like Harry Brook, whose talent is exceptional, or Zak Crawley, whose Adelaide innings serve as a model for the future.

In an upheaval, I would hate to see them leave.

The coaching staff’s efforts to adapt and learn from the mistakes made in Perth and Brisbane would be reflected in England’s efforts.

That is crucial going forward.

I hope Australia can recover from their defeat in Melbourne and use that as motivation.

With the exception of Steve Smith, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Cummins, and other frontline bowlers Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, and Steve Smith all missing at times, they have played so well to this point.

You don’t want to take your foot off the gas, though, but they did a lot to help them win the series.

Was Cummins restrained for Melbourne because of legitimate health concerns? If so, Ashes continues to be a series. Every Test match must be priced accordingly.

Jake Weatherald hasn’t passed 20 innings in four of his career, so he needs a score to secure his future.

After his subpar run, Beau Webster will be under pressure to replace him in the starting lineup, but I still believe he will have an amazing career when he returns to the game after his injury absence. It is surprising that Usman Khawaja hasn’t already announced that this will be his final Test at the age of 39.

Along with Shane Warne and Justin Langer, I retired following the 2006-2007 series’ Sydney Test. In addition, earlier in the series, Danien Martyn called it quits.

Before the Perth Test, Warney and I discussed the possibility of retiring, which would leave us with a 2-0 lead. Making an announcement while the series was still live was the last thing we wanted to do.

Our decision was made after Adam Gilchirst scored an incredible 100 in Perth, which gave the next two Tests even more weight.

I’m very pleased with the way we came to a conclusion in such a dominant manner.

There has never been a discussion of dead rubbers, and there should never be.

For me and my family, the Sydney Test will be a special occasion as always.

The 18th ” Pink Test” will be held in my late wife’s honor, and last year we expanded the foundation’s scope to include breast cancer as well as other cancer types.

Given the scale, it can be emotional, but given that it is a sport event, I view it as a celebration of life.