Australian batting legend and former India head coach Greg Chappell compared England’s dressing room on the final day of the opening Ashes Test in Perth to a building struck by a shattering explosion. Australia beat England by eight wickets in the first Ashes 2025-26 Test in Perth. In a match that ended in just two days, the visitors were bowled out for 172 in the first innings, but hit back to restrict the Aussies to 132. England, however, were bundled out for 164 in their second innings. A special Travis Head ton then lifted Australia to victory in a chase of 205. In a column for ESPNcricinfo, Chappell admitted that England would be in a state of shock following the unexpected result after their brilliant fightback. He wrote: “The England dressing room on the final day of last week’s Perth Test must have resembled a building struck by a sudden, shattering explosion. One moment there was light, order, and a firm structure; the next, a deafening, visceral shock wave. According to the 77-year-old, more than a defeat, the result from England’s perspective was a systemic failure that felt like the lights had been plucked out. “The silence that follows such a blast is rarely peaceful. It is instantly replaced by the sounds of the resulting chaos: the alarms begin to blare, smoke and dust swirl in a disorienting, suffocating cloud, and the structure groans under considerable damage,” Chappell elaborated. Chasing 205 to go 1-0 up in the Ashes, Australia romped home in just 28. 2 overs. Head hammered 123 off 83 ball, slamming 16 fours and four sixes, while Marnus Labuschagne was unbeaten on 51 off 49. “McCullum and Stokes hold the leadership keys” Greg Chappell on how England can overcame Perth setback Chappell admitted that the Ashes loss in Perth will hurt England mentally. He also added that the team will come in for plenty of criticism from various quarters over the next few days. The former Australian captain urged coach Brendon McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes to ensure that the assessment of the loss is based on plain facts and not outside noises. Chappell wrote: “McCullum and Stokes hold the leadership keys because they alone know the full extent of the structural damage, the vulnerabilities, and crucially, which areas of the edifice remain sound. They know that listening to the shouting outside will only lead them down a blind alley, or worse, cause them to add insult to injury by making the wrong decision. “Their knowledge, the one unshakeable fact, is that, provided they do not succumb to panic, a perfectly safe escape from the situation still exists. It requires a balanced response, built not on fear but on a clear-eyed assessment of the facts,” he went on to add. The second Ashes 2025-26 Test between Australia and England will be played at The Gabba in Brisbane from December 4 to December 8. Before that, the visitors will face the Prime Minister’s XI in a two-day warm-up match at the Manuka Oval in Canberra starting November 29.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/news-greg-chappell-reflects-england-shocking-loss-australia-1st-ashes-2025-26-test
