Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar delivered a scathing assessment of England’s crushing 1-4 Ashes defeat to Australia, saying the result came as no surprise to observers outside England and branding the team more of a “paper tiger” than a genuine force in world sport.
Writing in his column for Sportstar, Gavaskar reflected on England’s struggles not just in cricket but across major sports, pointing out a sharp contrast between the hype surrounding English teams and their actual performances on the field.
“England’s performances in most sports are a huge let-down when set against the write-ups their teams receive from people who have hardly, if ever, played any sport at the highest level,” Gavaskar wrote.
“The disappointment, therefore, is far greater when the teams show that they are more paper tigers than real ones.”
Ashes Loss No Shock to Outsiders
Gavaskar said England’s heavy defeat in Australia was predictable, particularly given how difficult it is for touring teams to win Test series in challenging conditions.
“England’s capitulation to Australia by a 4-1 margin was, therefore, not really a surprise for the non-English,” he noted.
“It is extremely tough for visiting teams to win a Test series anywhere, especially in Australia and India.”
However, the former India captain also acknowledged that even strong teams can falter overseas, citing India’s comprehensive losses to New Zealand a few years ago and South Africa late last year as examples.
Bazball’s Magic Wearing Off
When Brendon McCullum took over as England’s head coach in 2022, his aggressive philosophy — dubbed ‘Bazball’ — initially caught the cricketing world off guard. Gavaskar admitted the approach brought freshness and excitement to England’s game but believes its effectiveness has now diminished.
“McCullum brought the same freshness to England’s cricket, and that took the rest of the cricketing world by surprise,” Gavaskar wrote.
“However, as with so-called mystery bowlers, the surprise wore off.”
According to Gavaskar, once opposition teams realised England struggled whenever the ball moved — particularly on non-flat pitches — their vulnerabilities were ruthlessly exposed.
Lack of Adaptability and Accountability
Gavaskar was especially critical of England’s batting approach and the culture surrounding the team, arguing that players failed to adapt to conditions and situations.
“With their media making excuses for them about pitches when they were overseas, the batters refused to change their approach and bat according to the situation,” he said.
He also questioned the team management’s tolerance of reckless shot selection, suggesting that the absence of accountability has reduced players’ fear of losing their place.
“Valuing playing for your country and putting a minimum price of a century on your wicket is something only the great Joe Root does,” Gavaskar wrote.
“The others could not be bothered, as they knew they were unlikely to be left out of the squad.”
‘Fearless’ or ‘Couldn’t-Care-Less’ Cricket?
Taking aim at the modern narrative around aggressive cricket, Gavaskar argued that what is often labelled fearless cricket sometimes borders on indifference.
“What the media calls fearless cricket today often looks more like couldn’t-care-less cricket,” he remarked.
He added that the financial security provided by central contracts and global T20 leagues has changed players’ mindsets, unlike earlier eras when losing a Test spot could mean returning to modestly paid domestic cricket.
A Question of Temperament
Gavaskar concluded by posing a blunt question about England’s commitment during the Ashes series.
“How many in the England team that lost the Ashes series can put their hands on their hearts and say that they gave it everything — not just physically but, more crucially, temperamentally — in the series? You tell me.”