Ashes 2025-26: England duo Brendon McCullum and Rob Key will be given chance to stay in charge

England have reduced their backroom staff since McCullum took over. Marcus Trescothick and Jetan Patel are the only full-time assistant coaches with England for the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney.

David Sacker is also part of the coaching staff on a short-term deal as a bowling consultant – the third different man to take up the role in just over a year. There has not been a specialist fielding coach working with England since Paul Collingwood left the squad at the start of the home summer.

Changes or additions to the coaching staff could be one way England change their ways, if McCullum accepts the moves.

Vaughan, who captained England to victory in the 2005 Ashes, added: “McCullum can change if he is not so stubborn and realizes it is a learning process.

“He is a young coach, and if he is willing to change, he can continue. If you look at the details in this England team, the preparations have been poor. The details have to come to England.”

“If Baz is willing to be reasonable, I have no problem with this combination continuing. The Test team can improve and English cricket needs more detail and a more professional approach.”

When McCullum and Stokes took over in 2022, they breathed life into England’s Test team, recording 10 wins from their first 11 matches.

McCullum was also later put in charge of England’s white-ball teams at the start of last year, although the Test team’s results had been in steady decline.

If England are beaten on the final day of the fifth Test against Australia on Thursday, it will be their 14th defeat in their last 28 matches. They have not won a five-match series against Australia or India, either home or away, since 2018.

“Brendon McCullum has to change,” Vaughan said. “This team has not won a five-Test series in his reign. They have not come close to the World Test Championship final, they have not beaten India, they have not beaten Australia. That is the big series.”

“The methods he used and the mentality he talks about, England couldn’t overcome the pressure and didn’t win a big series. In that series they lost 2-0 very quickly. He has to be honest with himself.

“It’s all about the win and the end result. That’s how we’ve been judged in Australia. The England team, under that system, have been entertaining but they don’t get trophies in their hands, and that’s what they’re judged on.”