England’s Ashes campaign is over, and the urn remains firmly in Australian hands after a bruising 4–1 series defeat. In this episode, we unpack how it unravelled: the moments of promise, the tactical missteps, and the performances that defined the series for better and worse. Was this a step forward despite the scoreline, or a reality check against a ruthless Australian side? We assess the captaincy, the bowlers’ workload, the batting inconsistencies, and what this result means for the future of English Test cricket. Honest reflections, hard questions, and where England go next.