Ashes 2021-22: Former cricketer and celebrated commentator Geoffrey Boycott has posed a blunt question to England and their captain Joe Root, asking, “Why are we so bloody stupid?” Follow Ashes 2021-22 Live on InsideSport.IN.
Ashes 2021-22: Geoffrey Boycott’s blunt question to Joe Root – ‘Why are we so bloody stupid?’
After opting to bat first and getting bundled out for 147 in the first innings, England were beaten by a massive 9-wicket margin in the first Test in Brisbane. In fact, they were playing the catch-up game ever since they lost four wickets for 29 in the very first session of the 5-Test series.
Boycott in his column for New Zealand website ‘Stuff’, has suggested England to “answer with deeds and not words”. The 81-year-old has also questioned Three Lions’ planning ahead for the historic series.
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“Hey Joe! England have just been walloped by nine wickets, so it isn’t a good time to be telling us that England are not far away from beating Australia.
“It would be much better if you and your team answered with deeds and not words. Face up to the fact that England made mistakes which didn’t help our team. For a start, your batsmen and bowlers looked underdone and should have had three or four competitive matches before the series. The planning was all wrong,” Geoffrey Boycott has written.
‘Ben Stokes not a messiah’
The former England opener has also pointed fingers at the hype around Ben Stokes who made a comeback to professional cricket after almost a six-month break due to mental health reasons. The gun all-rounder during the period also recovered from a finger injury which he sustained during the first leg of the IPL 2021. However, the 30-year-old lacked rhythm and could manage only 5 and 14 runs in the two innings of the match. Stokes went wicketless, bowling as many as 14 no balls on Day 2 of the Test – most of them undetected due to technical issues.
Boycott minced no words on stating that Ben Stokes was “not a messiah” and that all the players in the eleven will have to step up and deliver as a unit.
“Ben Stokes needed to play more cricket. All the hype that he’s back and what he brings to the dressing room is b….. He is not a messiah. He can’t bat and bowl for everyone. My experience tells me when you are out in the middle, batting or bowling, each player has to do his own thing. You are on your own with decisions to make about where to bowl or what shot to play. Ben hasn’t played for five months, had a finger operation and rain ruined his practice. Then his first knock was on a testing pitch against, in my view, the two best seam bowlers in the world – Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. That would be tough for any batsman in good form.”
‘No point keeping Anderson and Broad in squad if either of them don’t play’
In another piece of advice before the start of second Test in Adelaide from December 16, Geoffrey Boycott asserted that England should not get sentimental in keeping their senior pacers Stuart Broad and James Anderson in the squad if either one of them don’t feature in the eleven. Boycott, who played 108 Tests for England, has also defended Jack Leach, who leaked runs at an economy rate of 7.8 after being taken to the cleaners by Australian batsmen
“Why are we so bloody stupid? We make it extra difficult before we even start the series.
“If both Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad don’t play (in the second test) then what is the point of them being in the squad? The captain and coach keep telling us how good they are and how many wickets they have taken. I agree they have been magnificent for England with outstanding performances so if they are fit they have to play. If they keep getting injured then they are a luxury England can’t afford. One is 39 and the other 35. Keeping them in the squad out of sentiment on big-money salary is madness. Either they play or move on without them.
“Jack Leach hadn’t played a test match for nine months since early March in India. He didn’t get a game during the English summer as England played lots of seamers – and then suddenly they expected Jack to bowl well in Brisbane. No wonder the Aussies went after him and in 13 overs he was whacked for 102 runs. I felt for the lad. Not his fault,” Boycott, first England batsman to score 8000 runs said.
Ashes 2021-22: Geoffrey Boycott’s blunt question to Joe Root – ‘Why are we so bloody stupid?’
