Former England captains Michael Vaughan and Sir Ian Botham were really disappointed and embarrassed by the Joe Root-led England team’s miserable performance so far in the ongoing Ashes 2021–22 in Australia, saying they were far from being even good on the tour.
After losing the first two Tests by 9 wickets and 275 runs, respectively, in Brisbane and Adelaide, England didn’t show any sign of improvement in the third Ashes Test against England in Melbourne.
The tourists could manage only 185 and 68 runs in both innings in reply to Australia's 267 and suffered an innings and 14-run defeat in the Boxing Day Test against Australia in Melbourne on Tuesday, December 28.
England was bundled out for 68 in their second innings on day 3, as Australia took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match Test series and retained the Ashes urn at home, and Vaughan said that he would not be surprised if the Joe Root-led side lost the next Ashes as well, at home.
Vaughan told Fox Cricket: “It’s not easy in these times, the England side didn’t have a great preparation but if you want to look for excuses, you can. For some time now, this Test match team has not been good enough. They’ve not focused enough on the Test match team, the focus has been more on white-ball cricket – and it delivered a World Cup (win in 2019).”
He continued, “But we’re not a good enough cricketing nation to take our eye off the ball in Test cricket and expect to arrive and play (in Australia). I would say with the group that I’ve seen and the way they’re playing, I’d be amazed if (Australia) don’t beat England in English conditions in 2023.”
The 47-year-old further pointed out that the English system doesn’t allow “young players to develop and give themselves a chance of playing at this level” and things will get only worse when Stuart Broad and James Anderson will retire from the game.
Vaughan concluded, “England are a long way short and it could take some even worse times – (Stuart) Broad and (Jimmy) Anderson are going to retire soon – before it gets better.”
On the other hand, Botham said that he was embarrassed by England's defeats in the ongoing Ashes series against Australia, saying the tourists have just lost their way.
Botham told the Seven Network: “I’m a little embarrassed. To lose the Ashes in 12 days, I don’t know if that’s the fastest, but it’s got to be very close to it. I just think that England has lost their way.”
The legendary all-rounder signed off by saying, “The performance today summed it up for me, I think you’ve got enough time to get a couple of players in from the Lions tour because we need to freshen it up, at the moment it’s stagnating.”
(With PTI Inputs)
