Ashes post-mortem: What next for England after 4-0 embarrassment?

England’s woeful Ashes campaign came to a humiliating conclusion as the latest in a long line of batting collapses condemned them to a crushing defeat in Hobart.
After losing the series 4-0 and barely competing along the way, the post mortem is only just beginning. Here we look at what went wrong and what can be done about it.
Just how bad was this series?

In terms of overall scoreline, a slim improvement on the 5-0 whitewashes suffered in 2006-07 and 2013-14 but anyone who stuck with those chastening campaigns all the way through will know they were more competitive than what has unfolded over the last few weeks.
The margins of defeat here have been enormous and a clean sweep of thumping defeats would surely have been sealed were it not for rain breaks in Sydney. As former captain Sir Alastair Cook has already indicated, this is rock bottom.
Will Joe Root pay the price?

In the normal course of events the captain would be expected to jump or be pushed, and this is Joe Root’s third successive Ashes campaign without lifting the urn.
But his position does not appear to be under immediate threat.
He has already said he is eager to lead the rebuild and the only viable candidate to succeed him, Ben Stokes, does not appear to be circling.
Not enough players are sure of their place and even fewer have proven leadership skills, while the county game is hardly teeming with options.
So where else could the axe fall?

Head coach Chris Silverwood is clearly vulnerable.
He saw his role and responsibilities beefed up last year when he assumed the duties of sacked national selector Ed Smith.
He admitted at the time that change put his neck on the line and his position now looks tenuous.
But the man who appointed him and increased his power base, Ashley Giles, is hardly safe either.
His time as managing director of men’s cricket at the ECB is reaching a crossroads and it is possible the entire role is an unnecessary layer of administration.
Beyond that, ECB chief executive Tom Harrison may not be viewed as the right man to lead the clean-up operation of a mess he has overseen over the course of seven years.
Performance director Mo Bobat has power but not profile and may escape much attention.
Will there be a clearout of players?

The squad for the next Test tour will be named next month and, while a little bit of tinkering around the edges can he expected, there will be no mass cull.
Jos Buttler, Haseeb Hameed, Rory Burns and Ollie Pope are in particularly precarious positions but the latter two have domestic records that far outstrip any of their likely replacements.
The problems are considerably deeper than a bungled selection policy.
What are these problems and can they be fixed?
Root attempted to grasp the nettle in the immediate aftermath of the fifth Test, reeling off a series of suggestions that all revolved around one theme: the inability of county cricket to produce international standard players.
His ad-hoc blueprint included the following ideas:
How likely are we to see changes any time soon?
Latest
-
News
Henry Nicholls thinks Brendon McCullum is an “inspiring” appointment by England
McCullum was appointed England Test head coach last week.
-
News
‘Huge respect between two of us so no animosity’ – James Anderson on Joe Root
Anderson and Stuart Broad are set for England recalls on Wednesday, a couple of months after being jettisoned for the West Indies tour.
-
News
Tom Harrison stepping down as chief executive of the ECB
Managing director of women’s cricket Clare Connor will take over on an interim basis in June.
-
News
Tom Harrison steps down as ECB chief executive
Harrison has been in the post for the last seven years.
-
News
On this day in 2013 – James Anderson claims 300th Test wicket
Anderson dismissed New Zealand’s Peter Fulton to reach the landmark.
-
News
England quick Saqib Mahmood to miss rest of season with stress fracture of back
The Lancashire fast bowler would have been a certain inclusion in the squad to face New Zealand at Lord’s on June 2.
-
News
England change to continue with new limited-overs coach and revamped Test squad
Things have been moving quickly at the England and Wales Cricket Board with Rob Key.
-
News
On this day in 2010: England beat Australia for Twenty20 World Cup final glory
The Australians had been restricted to just 147 for six from their 20 overs.
-
News
James Anderson removes Joe Root for just four but Yorkshire thwart Lancashire
Harry Brook came to Yorkshire’s rescue to secure a Roses draw.
-
News
Andrew Symonds – the Queensland larrikin known as Roy with explosive batting
The former Australia all-rounder was killed in a car crash at the age of 46.