England’s reputation in the longer format of the game took a strong blow as Joe Root and co. endured a tough 10-wicket defeat against the West Indies in the third and final Test on Monday.
The team has not been in the best of form of late and the downfall began when the team traveled to India last year. Soon after going down against India, they were rocked by New Zealand at home. India too put up a commanding show against the Three Lions at their own backyard and the 4-0 Ashes humiliation can well be called as the final nail in the coffin.
Following England’s dismal show, former cricketers Kevin Pietersen and Geoffrey Boycott took no time before slamming the current set-up. While Pietersen feels it “stinks”, Boycott accused the team of going “nowhere”.
Pietersen questioned the team’s ability. In an interaction with Talk Sport, Pietersen said: “As a captain you are only as good as your players.”
“Forget Joe Root, it is about the players. Who is going to do a better job with the calibre of player that is playing Test cricket for England? It is not Joe Root’s fault. Who are you going to pick?”
Pietersen, 41, added: “When Jack Leach and Ben Stokes put that partnership together at Headingley (in the Ashes) three years ago, Stokes played the innings of his life — I said then Leach is not good enough.
“He’s not a good enough spinner. And who is second in line, Dom Bess? Are you joking?
“Don’t point fingers at Root, understand the set-up. The set-up stinks.”
Meanwhile, Boycott felt that the team is “going nowhere” as England struggle at the bottom of the World Test Championship table.
“They need a rocket up the backside from a new head coach with some fresh ideas,” Boycott wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.
“Doing nothing is not an option. Nothing is working,” added Boycott.
He also took shots at Root and called him uninspiring.
“The captain, Joe Root, is incapable of lifting these players. England are not losing because they are unlucky. They lose because they just aren’t good enough.”