Former Australia head coach Justin Langer believes England lack the "killer instinct" they need to win the Ashes later this year.

England have only won one Ashes series in Australia since 1987, earning a 3-1 victory in 2010-11.

Their last three such tours have ended in defeat without them recording a single match win, a run they will be keen to end in 2025.

Langer won the Ashes four times as a player and was unbeaten in his two series as a coach before leaving the position in 2022.

England's preparation for the tour saw them draw 2-2 with India in a thrilling series over the summer, with all five Tests going the distance, with India avoiding defeat on the final day of the last as it went down to the wire.

Looking ahead to this year's clash, Langer is not sure if the hosts have the ability to see out results.

"It's going to be a really, really close series," Langer told BBC Sounds' For the Love of Cricket podcast. "My question for England will be, have you got the killer instinct to finish off a series if you get a chance?

"We've seen it, the two-all here in the last Ashes series, two-all against India.

"England had the chances to win that series. Have you got the killer instinct to win the Ashes in Australia? That's going to be the big question."

On This Day in 2005…

𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 Freddie Flintoff over

Iconic. pic.twitter.com/MUD3UbtpSq

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) August 6, 2025

England drew the last Ashes with Australia 2-2 on home soil, coming from behind after losing the first two Tests.

Langer acknowledged that the tourists will have a better chance of coming away with a victory if they take an aggressive approach.

"Call it Bazball or the aggressive approach, I think England must play that approach in Australia. No question, because it'll put pressure back on," he said.

"The only players who had success against Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath were those who attacked them. They got back in their face, and they hated it because no one did it.

"It's going to take courage because you have got Mitchell Starc bowling like he does, Josh Hazlewood never misses the spot, and Pat Cummins is a generational bowler. So it's going to take great courage."

The first Test of the Ashes will begin in November 21 in Perth.