England’s Ashes campaign has come under intense scrutiny despite the morale-boosting win in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. The damage, however, had already been done. Heavy defeats in the opening three Tests laid bare the limitations of the much-hyped Bazball approach when put under sustained pressure by a disciplined Australian side. Ben Stokes and his team arrived with big expectations but failed to match them on the field, surrendering the urn inside just 11 days. What made it more glaring was Australia’s ability to dominate the series despite missing several key players at different stages. England’s aggressive methods, praised for their intent, looked increasingly one-dimensional, raising uncomfortable questions about planning, adaptability and whether boldness alone is enough to win the biggest contests.
India batting great Sunil Gavaskar highlighted the struggles of modern-day batters, emphasising that impatience and lack of First-Class cricket experience prevent them from adjusting to the rhythm and mental demands of Test match batting.
“He [The modern batter] thinks counter-attack is the answer, when a little bit of patience, with some deep breaths taken to slow down the adrenaline, might help in reducing the bat speed and the big swing, so even if he miscues or edges, the ball may not carry to the fielder. But then, if he hardly plays any First-Class cricket, how will he mentally get used to adjusting to the required rhythm of a Test match?” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.
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“The ‘ares’ do not agree with the ‘has-beens’ here”
England went into the Ashes without a single first-class warm-up game, a decision that showed up starkly in their batting through the opening three Tests, where the much-hyped Bazball approach fell flat. Gavaskar flagged the lack of red-ball preparation as a major factor behind England’s struggles, questioning the wisdom of skipping longer-format matches before such a demanding tour and underlining how vital proper match practice is in tough overseas conditions.
“England’s win, even though it came in the fourth Test with the series already lost, does prove once again that the more you play, the better you will get, especially in unfamiliar overseas conditions… The point, therefore, is should England have played a few more First-Class games before the first Test? The ‘ares’ do not agree with the ‘has-beens’ here,” Gavaskar added.
