James Anderson's ‘Roy Keane moment’ as Ben Stokes praises the effort of his bowlers: ‘That’s your job'

James Anderson criticized Ben Stokes for praising his fast bowlers' efforts during England's disappointing Ashes tour.

England’s post-Ashes soul-searching got a sharp edge when James Anderson took aim at Ben Stokes for praising the “efforts” of his fast bowlers after the 2025-26 tour of Australia.

Ben Stokes after the fifth Ashes Test. (REUTERS)

Speaking on BBC Radio, the recently retired pace great said he had a “Roy Keane moment” listening to Stokes comment Josh Tongue and Brydon Carse for simply doing the basics - turning up and running in all day.

“When I saw Stokes come out and say, the way Tongue and Carse have just run in like consistently, I had a Roy Keane moment,” Anderson said. “I was like, that’s your job. If you’re not willing to run in all day for your team, don’t bother. You’re in the wrong sport.”

The comments land amid wider questions around England’s standards and preparation of a tour that ended in a 4-1 defeat, capped by Australia’s five-wicket win in Sydney, where the hosts chased 160 and sealed the series. With the England and Wales Cricket Board launching a review into the Ashes campaign, scrutiny has extended beyond tactics to behaviours and how quickly England can adapt when opponents have plans to blunt their style.

James Anderson, though, framed it more bluntly: effort should not be a post-match talking point at all; it should be a default setting. He pointed to Mitchell Starc as the benchmark for what elite fast bowling looks like across a long series, not as an exception but as the baseline expectation.

“Starc, for me, was the absolute standout of the series. He bowled on Day 5 of the final Test as quick as he had bowled all series long. He was consistent with his speeds. But that is what you expect from all your bowlers. That is the standard. It always annoys me ‘can’t fault your efforts.’ Well, the effort shouldn’t be a thing. It should just be in you,” said Anderson.