England’s all-time leading fast bowler James Anderson has offered a scathing and unfiltered critique of Ben Stokes’ post-series comments following England’s emphatic 4-1 defeat in the 2025–26 Ashes, questioning the captain’s focus on “effort” in the aftermath of another bruising tour of Australia. Anderson admitted that hearing Stokes praise basic work ethic triggered what he described as a “Roy Keane moment”, referencing the former Manchester United captain’s well-known intolerance for applauding players for simply doing their jobs.

Speaking on BBC Radio, James Anderson said he was surprised by Stokes singling out bowlers Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse for their commitment, particularly applauding their willingness to run in hard across long spells. For Anderson, such traits are not worthy of special mention at the highest level of the game.

“When I heard Stokes say how Tongue and Carse just kept running in, I genuinely had a Roy Keane moment,” James Anderson said. “That’s your job. If you’re not prepared to run in all day for your team, then you’re in the wrong sport.”

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The veteran seamer stressed that effort should be a given for any international cricketer and not something used to soften the narrative after a heavy Ashes loss. According to Anderson, England’s issues in Australia extended well beyond attitude and commitment, with shortcomings in execution, skill level, and preparation ultimately costing them throughout the series.

To underline his point, Anderson pointed to Australia’s Mitchell Starc, who emerged as the leading wicket-taker of the Ashes and consistently delivered at key moments. He described Starc as the gold standard England’s bowlers must aim to match.

“Starc was the absolute standout of the series for me,” James Anderson said. “On the fifth day of the final Test, he was still bowling as quickly as he had all series. That level of consistency is what you expect. That’s the benchmark.”

Anderson also made it clear that he has little patience for post-match analysis that leans heavily on intent and effort. “When people say ‘you can’t fault the effort’, it always annoys me,” he added. “Effort shouldn’t even be part of the conversation. It should be ingrained.”

Stokes, however, defended his squad after the final Test, maintaining that commitment was never an issue despite England’s poor returns. He instead highlighted dropped catches and a lack of execution in crucial moments as the decisive factors behind the Ashes defeat.

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“We know we haven’t performed well,” Stokes said. “But no one should question the care and commitment. It’s been about execution.”

Anderson’s remarks have intensified the debate around England’s standards in Test cricket, with increasing calls for greater accountability and higher expectations beyond simply applauding intent.