Former batsman Geoffrey Boycott has slammed England for their poor form in recent times, especially in Tests. His comments came just days after England failed to defend their T20 World Cup title.
Jos Buttler-led side were knocked out of the competition at the semi-final stage after suffering a crushing 68-run defeat at the hands of eventual champions India. They managed to beat only one Test-playing nation in the tournament, while also suffering defeats against the likes of Australia and South Africa.
England had also not performed well in last year’s ODI World Cup. They were also the defending champions in that tournament but failed to progress past the league stage. They eventually finished the 10-team competition in seventh place with just 3 wins and 9 losses.
Earlier this year, England also suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat in the Test series in India. While they started the series with a good win in Hyderabad, they failed to maintain the winning momentum and were comprehensively outplayed in the next four matches.
In light of England’s plight, Geoffrey Boycott did not mince his words and criticised the team for its poor performances. He also said that “few of our mid-to-mid-level players” have become rich only because of the IPL.
“All we have had in recent months is the Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean, where England performed poorly, and the Indian Premier League, which helped some of our moderate to average Test players strike it rich,” Geoffrey Boycott wrote in his column for The Telegraph.
“Before that, a miserable 4-1 defeat in the Test series in India, where England started well but were crushed in the end,” he added.
Geoffrey Boycott: Test cricket matches are not an exhibition
Geoffrey Boycott recalled the tour of India in which the English players failed to live up to their promises. The great English player recalled how England’s tendency to play attacking cricket led to their downfall in India. He also criticised the English players for not prioritising results, saying that they should join a circus if they think results don’t matter.
“Last winter in India, ego and arrogance got the better of some of our players. They made comments about being entertainers and how important it was to score goals quickly and excite crowds. All of that is laudable, but they must never lose sight of the fact that there is a winner and a loser and that losing is not much fun,” Boycott wrote.
“Test cricket is not a showpiece. If our players start thinking that results don’t matter, then they might as well join a circus or travel the world like the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team doing tricks, laughing and joking, and not caring who wins as long as everyone is having fun,” he added.
England have not won a Test series since December 2022. Last year, they drew the series away in New Zealand before drawing the Ashes against Australia at home. This was followed by the heavy defeat in India and they are currently playing the West Indies in a three-match Test series.