Nasser Hussain played in England's Ashes defeat in Australia and captained the team in the 4-1 series in 2002/03, so he knows what the women's side are currently going through.
Australia retained the Women's Ashes with a fourth win from four on Monday to take an unassailable 8-0 lead in the multi-format series, which resumes on Thursday with the second of three T20 internationals between the sides from 8.15am (UK).
With the one-off Test to follow and four points for the winner, there is still a chance England can draw the series 8-8 – as they did in the 2023 Women's Ashes at home. But having been thoroughly outplayed during the ODI series before losing the opening T20I, such a fightback from Heather Knight's side looks unlikely.
“The reaction and what happened reminds me a lot of when we played there,” Hussain said at the latest Sky Sports Cricket podcast.
“I don't think we were whitewashed – and this England women's team is not whitewashed, but they lost their first four games. The Ashes were gone; I lost them in 12 days, Heather Knight in nine days – albeit in different formats.
“It must be very disappointing.
Australians Alana King and Beth Mooney celebrate retaining the Women's Ashes
“Australia showed their class. To put it in context, how good Australia is as a cricketing nation, they haven't lost an ODI series at home for 38 years! They are one of the best teams ever.
“But instead of looking at the opposition, look at your own side. Are you improving under Knight and Jon Lewis? That's the question to ask.”
Is England head coach Jon Lewis under pressure after the Ashes?
It has been 11 years since England last won The Ashes. Knight, named captain in 2016, led the team to victory at the 2017 World Cup with a 50-wicket haul on home soil, but England have been without a trophy since. Lewis, who took over as head coach in 2022, has instilled a more aggressive style of play, but one that has so far not brought with it additional silverware.
England suffered an early exit from last year's T20 World Cup after a shock group stage defeat to the West Indies in Dubai, with former player-turned-pundit Alex Hartley saying some players “let their team down” with their fitness.
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Highlights from Dubai as England knocked out of Women's T20 World Cup after slumping to six-wicket defeat at West Indies
And after England's 57-run defeat in the first T20I on Monday, which won The Ashes for Australia, Hartley said BBC Test Match Special that she believes the current team has “hung her out to dry”.claiming that Sophie Ecclestone refused to speak to her before the match.
Hussain, who himself has had some unusual encounters with the media during his playing career – including famously holding up three fingers by the commentary box at Lord's after scoring a third century in the 2002 ODI final against India – said of Hartley's comments: “ I thought what Alex Hartley said was pretty fair.
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Let's go back to 2002 when there was an explosive ODI between England and India at Lord's, in which Nasser Hussain celebrated his century by sending a message to the media
“Part of her job is to call it as she sees it. And it's part of you to react; I was there, with three fingers held up to (Ian) Botham, (Bob) Willis and (Jonathan) Agnew.
“It's also part of your responsibility to do the media. But I've known the odd player in the men's game who will ask 'who's doing the interview?'
“She questioned her fitness, especially the field. And apparently some members of the team reacted badly to it.
“It's been a disappointing couple of weeks.”
Women's Ashes – results and fixtures
All UK and Ireland dates and times