Ashes 2025-26: 'Zak Crawley frustrates the life out of me' - Michael Vaughan weighs in on England opener

Former England captain Michael Vaughan criticised opener Zak Crawley’s latest dismissal in the fifth Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. While speaking about Crawley’s talent, Vaughan expressed frustration over the opener’s consistent failures in concentration, which once again cost him his wicket cheaply. However, despite the criticism, Vaughan backed the Three Lions to persist with Crawley, insisting there is a lot more in the tank than his numbers currently suggest.

Crawley was dismissed for 16 on Day 1 of the New Year’s Test, adding another poor score in this series. Facing Australia seamer Michael Neser, the 27-year-old hit three boundaries before being trapped lbw while playing across a straight delivery. The dismissal came despite Crawley making a technical change for the final Test, shifting his guard across the stumps in an attempt to counter Australia’s bowling plans. Vaughan spoke about the shot selection being unacceptable for a player of Crawley’s calibre, especially in conditions that require patience and discipline.

"Zak Crawley frustrates the life out of me. His concentration levels are not the strongest. If you go to the start of the series where he played the big booming drives, those drives have gone away now. He's not chasing the ball outside off stump. But today I was watching him and that should not get you out as a quality opening batter,” Vaughan said on the Test Match Special podcast.

The former stated how the opener often appears set before gifting his wicket away. Vaughan noted that while Crawley has stopped chasing wide deliveries outside off stump compared to the start of the series, his dismissals continue to come from moments of lost focus.

"The ball that got him out should not have got him out. It was just a ball which nipped back slightly and he played it too square on the on side. There must be something in his concentration," he added.

It's just concentration: Vaughan

After more than six years in international cricket and over 100 Test innings as an opener, the right-handed batter averages just over 30, the lowest among players with similar opportunities at the top of the order. Yet, Vaughan believes those numbers do not fully reflect Crawley’s ability. The England great pointed at the ongoing Ashes series itself as proof, where Crawley began as England’s leading run-scorer and played crucial innings, including scores of 76, 44, 85, and 37 in Melbourne that helped England secure a rare Test win in Australia.

Vaughan also referenced Crawley’s past success at the SCG, recalling the 77 he scored there during the 2021-22 Ashes tour, an innings that kick-started his international career. 

"I hear fans around the world saying Crawley averages 30, but there's a bigger average in him than he's giving at the moment. It's just concentration. I know there is a lot more in the tank and I do think England have to stay with him. The movement he had today was fantastic but he needs to understand the concentration levels required at this kind of level to go on and average 40 to 45 over the course of the next two or three years. I think he could do if he can find that concentration," concluded Vaughan.