India, Jan. 8 -- Australia didn't just win the Ashes, they controlled the series. The hosts wrapped up the series 4-1, finishing it off in Sydney with a five-wicket chase of 160.

England's "Bazball" was thrashed throughout the tour. Too many soft dismissals, too little resolution, and a selection story that read like: arrive late, pick the in-form guys later, act surprised it didn't work earlier.

Joe Root was England's only consistent proper batter, but this was nowhere close to his best. Two hundreds, yes - but neither of them were in the winning cause. His runs didn't flip the momentum of the games often enough. Also add to that seven scores of under 20 in 10 innings and two ducks, and it's a "best of a bad bunch".

Those numbers look...