LONDON: Former England captain Geoffrey Boycott has strongly criticised the national team following their loss to Australia in the second Ashes Test, describing the side as “irresponsible and useless.”
He also took aim at Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, saying they believe only they understand modern Test cricket and insisting, “We should stop listening to them now.”
Boycott called England’s performance in Brisbane a “horror show,” highlighting reckless batting and short-length bowling, and argued that the Australian team should have been beaten.
He warned that with the current batting and bowling, England would need a miracle to turn the five-match series around.
Commenting on the team’s preparation, Boycott said that England had been planning this Ashes series for four years, but now, players appear unwilling to listen to advice outside their camp. “Test cricket has changed, and they think only they know modern-day cricket,” he added.
He also questioned batter Harry Brook’s approach on Australian pitches, saying fans want to know what is going on in his mind, as he fails to move his feet effectively.
Australia has taken a 2-0 lead after winning the first two Tests convincingly, putting England under mounting pressure in the series.
Earlier, Australia secured a convincing 8-wicket victory over England in the Brisbane Test, reaching the target of 65 runs for the loss of just 2 wickets.
With this win, Australia leads the five-match Ashes series 2-0. In the second innings, Australian captain Steve Smith scored 23 runs while Travis Head contributed 22.
England posted 334 runs in their first innings and 241 in the second, while Australia had amassed 511 runs in their first innings.
Notably, the first Test of the series also ended in just two days, with Australia defeating England by 8 wickets after chasing 205 runs for the loss of 2 wickets.
