The 2005 Ashes series left Australia cooked and fractured: Adam Gilchrist

Speaking on a podcast, the former Aussie keeper said that it was the only time the group had ever felt so divided.

The 2005 Ashes is etched in the memory of cricket fans for all its drama. It was one of those series that became a blemish in an otherwise dominant era for the Australian men’s cricket team. England won the thrilling series 2-1 and reclaimed the urn after 18 long years.

Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist in 2017. (Getty)

Adam Gilchrist, a member of one of the most dominant cricket sides in history, revealed that the group was actually badly unsettled by the end of the tour. The former wicketkeeper also recalled a particular incident from the tour involving Shane Warne, where the late leg-spinner expressed doubts about whether his own batters were even trying.

Speaking on the Hello Sport podcast, Gilchrist said that it was the only time the Australian group had felt so divided. He further added that he had never experienced such a fraught atmosphere before or after that tour. “People were cooked by the end of that series. We were fractured,” he said.

The batter known for his aggressive style recalled an incident from Old Trafford. Australia had opened the series with a win at Lord’s. In the second match, England made a comeback, winning an edge-of-your-seat thriller by just two runs.

At Manchester, the hosts batted first and posted 444, led by a brilliant batting effort from Michael Vaughan, who scored 166. In reply, Australia slipped to 201/7, when Warne came up with one of his finest batting efforts in Test cricket. Warne scored 90 runs off 122 balls and helped Australia reach a respectable 302.

The team's spirits were low due to the underwhelming overall showing on the field. Gilchrist revealed that as they boarded the team bus, Warne made a pointed observation. He expressed his views loudly enough to be heard by the specialist batters sitting at the front of the vehicle.

“Geez, I just wonder if the batters are trying or not,” Gilchrist recalled Warne saying. For a side that had developed a habit of winning over the years, it was a particularly direct challenge to his teammates.

Gilchrist did not reveal any confrontation within the team following the incident. However, he said that the usual camaraderie between teammates had disappeared. According to Gilchrist, the Australian group generally met for drinks or dinner after a day's play. “There’s none of that in '05. And a lot of us had young families. The dynamic had changed a bit. So not saying anyone’s at fault, but it changed,” Gilchrist said.

He revealed that Warne’s comments on the team bus were actually a reflection of a wider breakdown. The younger players in the team were no longer socialising with the senior members who had children.

Reports of tension during the Ashes

A reported split in the Australian team was already making headlines during the series. On August 15, 2005, The Guardian reported that a Sunday newspaper had published allegations of a disagreement between Ricky Ponting and Shane Warne. The allegations were that the two players had disagreed over the decision to field first after winning the toss at Edgbaston.

The Guardian also reported an incident between them involving a catch. Andrew Strauss had edged a ball from Brett Lee that flew between Warne and Ponting in the slips, but neither attempted to go for it. There was prolonged silence between them afterwards.

The newspaper, however, cautioned that the silence could simply have been due to the disappointment over the missed chance. The Australian team issued a statement denying the reported split. They described the allegations as “completely untrue and unsubstantiated - a total fabrication.”

The Old Trafford Test ended in a draw. Ponting’s brilliant 156 helped the visitors survive at 371/9 while chasing 423. England then went on to win the series 2-1, ending Australia’s long reign in the rivalry.

Gilchrist revealed the role of Australia’s coach, John Buchanan, in the aftermath. He said that the coach later arranged a military-style camp run by former special forces personnel. The four-day exercise took place in Queensland in August 2006, nearly a year after the Ashes defeat.

“None of us wanted to be there. It was one of the worst thoughts of a week of our life, given we could have had a week off, but it was one of the great team-building exercises out there,” Gilchrist recalled. Warne was particularly reluctant to attend the camp.

Gilchrist recalled that when the instructors asked them to declare their medications, most of the teammates produced asthma treatments and other medicines. However, Warne set out eight packets of Benson & Hedges cigarettes. The players burst into laughter and were subsequently instructed to do push-ups.

According to Gilchrist, the players were tested mentally and physically during the gruelling exercises. It prompted introspection about leadership, teamwork and trust. When asked whether it rebuilt trust and repaired relationships within the team, Gilchrist gave a simple reply: “It was unreal.” Notably, Australia regained the Ashes with a resounding 5-0 victory in the 2006-07 season.