Monty Panesar backs Ravi Shastri as England’s next coach, stressing the need for someone who truly understands how to beat Australia.
After losing the 2025-2026 Ashes by the third Test itself, England coach Brendon McCullum is in danger of losing his job. However, when England had started playing under him as coach in 2022, McCullum’s ‘Bazball’ style of play paid instant dividends.
England whitewashed New Zealand 3-0 at home and won the fifth Test at home in Edgbaston against India chasing a record 378 for a win to draw the series 2-2. In fact, McCullum’s England won 10 games in his first 11 as coach.
However, soon England’s style of playing aggressive and attacking cricket nosedived with more losses than wins under captain-coach duo of Ben Stokes-McCullum.
England have lost 13 Tests and won 12 Tests since January 2024. The captain-coach duo have won 25 Tests and lost 17 in 44 matches. Before the Ashes loss, they had to share the spoils with India at home after a young team led by Shubman Gill came from behind to draw the series 2-2.
With England staring at possibly a 0-5 Ashes whitewash, talks are loud about McCullum being shown the door. However, McCullum has no plans to give in.
He said, “I don’t know. It’s not really up to me, is it? I will just keep trying to do the job, try to learn lessons that I haven’t quite got right here and make adjustments. Those questions are for someone else, not for me.”
But Ashes means the world to England and its fans, and hence, the series loss and the failure of ‘Bazball’ could see McCullum being sacked from the job. Amidst this, speculations have been rife about the possible replacements for McCullum.
Read More: How India pacers performed under Ravi Shastri and Bharat Arun?
Panesar chooses Shastri as next England coach
Former England spinner Monty Panesar told journalist Ravish Bisht in a YouTube channel that former India coach Ravi Shastri could be the best candidate to replace McCullum.
“You have to think, who exactly knows how to beat Australia? How will you take advantage of Australia’s weakness, mentally, physically, and tactically. I think Ravi Shastri should become England’s next head coach,” said Panesar.
Panesar has a point as Shastri has coached India to two back-to-back Test series win against Australia in Australia. He knows what it takes to be competitive in Australia and beat the Aussies in their own game.
Besides, India flourished as a Test side under captain-coach duo of Virat Kohli and Shastri. During Shastri’s tenure as coach and Kohli as captain, India won 22 Tests, lost 13, and drew 4 in 39 Tests. In 14 home Tests, India lost only once while winning 11 and drawing two.
Read More: “Both were passionate about Tests”: Bharat Arun reveals Kohli-Shastri role in India’s Test supremacy
What makes Shastri the ideal coach for England?
Coaching experience, especially in Australia
Shastri’s tenure as India’s coach was fruitful across formats. However, it was in Test cricket that Shastri has had major impact on India’s fortunes. Staying unbeaten at home in Tests, and winning two straight series in Australia could make any coach proud. Shastri’s resume as a former Test coach of India would just be the ideal coaching requirements for England who have been caught in their own web of Bazball.
Shastri motivates players to give their best
Under Shastri, fringe players such as Hanuma Vihari, Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur gave their life’s best performances on Australian soil.
In the 2020-21 Test series in Australia, India were without Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah, but went on to win the Gabba Test to win the series 2-1, especially after being knocked out for just 36 in the second innings of the first Test at Adelaide.
It was these fringe players who made it possible. Shastri has the experience of changing every failure into a stepping stone for success – something that he can replicate with England Test team
Read More: Bazball or plain schoolboyish cricket – Why England fell flat in Ashes 2025-26?
Shastri’s cricketing brain, personality & aura
Being a good all-rounder himself in his playing days, Shastri knows the trials and tribulations of playing Test cricket. He has a sharp cricket brain, game awareness and good tactical knowledge. He can help improve England players with his cricketing knowledge. Besides, as a coach, Shastri commands respect and draws the aura of a leader that can help him coach England.
Way forward for England
Irrespective of who England choose as the next coach, the writing is on the wall that Bazball has not been giving England the results they had expected. England need fresh ideas and a new coach who can make them play tough and disciplined cricket – that is needed to survive the five-day format.
A one-dimensional theory such as Bazball is nearing its end, and England need better strategy and preparation to improve and be competitive in Test cricket. And, there can be none better than Shastri to guide them through.
Read More: Has Bazball been counter-productive for England when they have been ahead in the game?
