Former Australian batter Shane Watson said that England batters have to be braver and put up strong batting performances against Australia if they want to make a comeback in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22.

England suffered two heavy defeats against Australia in the first two Ashes Tests to trail by 2-0 in the ongoing five-match Test series. Australia crushed England by 9 wickets in the first Test in Brisbane and then beat them by 275 runs in the day-night Test in Adelaide earlier this week.

Watson wrote in his column for The Times: “If England is to turn things around in this Ashes series, their batsmen are going to have to be braver. So far, and especially in the second Test in Adelaide, the intent has just not been there.”

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He was surprised to see Ben Stokes’ defensive batting in the first two Ashes Tests, though, saying perhaps he was batting that way because he was playing after a long time. The first Test in Brisbane was his first competitive match since July 2021, having taken an indefinite mental health break.

The Aussie further added, “What has really blown me away is to see the defensive way in which Ben Stokes has batted. I'm gobsmacked. It is obviously a tactic because of his big back-and-across movements to the quick bowlers, he's just not trying to score ... I think it is perhaps because he has come into the series underdone in terms of preparation.”

Notably, England and Australia are now preparing for the Boxing Day Test to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne from Sunday, December 26.

(With Reuters Inputs)