Atherton and Boycott said that England has been out-thought and outplayed by Australia.
All-rounder Chris Woakes’ selection over spinner Jack Leach has been heavily criticized by the England greats after the heavy 275-run defeat in the second Test in Adelaide on Monday (December 20) of the ongoing Ashes 2021-22.
Former England captains Mike Atherton and Geoffrey Boycott questioned and criticized Woakes’ selection over Leach after Australia went 2-0 up in the ongoing five-match Test series with 2 straight wins over England – winning the first Test by 9 wickets and the second Test by 275 runs in Adelaide.
Well, in both Tests, England didn’t show any fight, and in the day-night Test, the tourists made a team selection blunder, resting Leach in Adelaide which traditionally helps spinners.
Australian spinner Nathan Lyon made the most of the spin-friendly conditions in Adelaide and returned with 5 wickets to play a major role in the team’s big win in the second Test.
On the other hand, Woakes picked up only one wicket for 149 runs, while Joe Root ended up bowling 26 overs, and fast bowler Ollie Robinson, who switched to off-spin, scalped three wickets in Adelaide.
Atherton wrote in The Times: “Robinson bowling off-spin, Lyon ripping it square and England's spinners sat on the bench. You couldn't make it up, really. The margin of defeat was a mighty one, and the fighting spirit on the last afternoon should not camouflage the fact that England, for the second time in as many tests, have been out-thought and outplayed.”
He further added, “Once again the batting has been completely underwhelming and they face a returning and refreshed Pat Cummins next as Australia announced an unchanged squad for the Boxing Day Test. Root's Ashes dreams hang by a thread.”
Meanwhile, Boycott said that Woakes’ inclusion in the middle order did not make up for his “lack of wicket-taking ability abroad,” as the pacer could manage only 1 wicket in the day-night Test in Adelaide.
Boycott wrote in The Telegraph: “England keep selecting Chris Woakes for his late order runs to help out their fragile batting. Did his runs in Adelaide affect the winning or losing of the test? No.”
He added, “If he was trying to hit the middle of the Aussie bats then he succeeded... We need to pick bowlers to take 20 wickets and our batsmen have to do better.”
The legendary cricketer also insisted that England must do something different to come back in the ongoing Ashes series as their openers are letting them down against Australia.
Boycott signed off by saying, “The two openers are walking wickets and the Aussie bowlers are queuing up to get at them. It's not ideal but Joe Root at some stage may have to bat (at number) three... England has to do something different because they are not scoring enough runs to put Australia under any sort of scoreboard pressure.”
(With Reuters Inputs)