England Star Cried in Dressing Room After 'Selfish' Ashes Decision in Australia
A star England bowler cried in the dressing room after making a selfish Ashes decision.
Australia beat England 4-1 in the 2025/26 series to retain the Ashes.
Brendon McCullum's team lost the chance to reclaim the Ashes after just 11 days of cricket.
Fans and critics alike criticised England's showing down under, including Graeme Swann, who was a pundit for TNT Sports.
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Swann provided expert analysis having toured Australia during his decorated professional career.
He made 60 appearances in the red ball international arena, taking an impressive 255 wickets.
Swann called time on his career in 2013 during the 2013/14 Ashes series, which England lost 5-0.
He was England's main spin option but took just seven wickets in three Test matches during the series.
The off-spin bowler ruled himself out of the rest of the tour midway through the series and retired from first-class cricket due to nerve damage in his right hand.
Swann joined the line-up for the latest series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins and recalled his selfish decision to go on the tour despite his injury.
On the show, the 46-year-old said: "My hand is a worry. It's what finished my cricket career. There's only so much I can do without losing feeling in my right hand.
"My upper body strength is probably my Achilles' heel... which is disappointing."
Reminiscing on his cricket upbringing, Swann recalled: "I'd gone through the ranks. I played in England, 14s, 15s. I was always one of the best players. 19s, we won the World Cup and went on the full tour where I was playing with all my heroes."
He added: "The highs, the first time I won the Ashes for England. I'll be honest but it all went tits up very suddenly. I got nerve damage in my arm. I suddenly couldn't feel my hand, but I didn't tell them. I thought it would be fine. This would be my last Ashes. I wanted this big, happy ending in Sydney where we beat them and all the crowds singing my name.
"But a week into the tour I realised I'd f**ked up massively. I was bowling, run up to let the ball go, didn't know where it was going. I walked off the ground and sat in the shower just crying my eyes out... just thinking, f**k's sake, what the f**k am I doing? We lost. I blame myself, and that's haunted me, to be honest. It's haunted me ever since."
Asked what he would do if he had the change again, Swann replied: "I wouldn't have gone on the tour. I'd have been honest. I'd have been less selfish."
Nasir Jabbar