'Sold a lie for three years': 85-year-old England legend Geoffrey Boycott rips into Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes after Ashes thrashing

NEW DELHI: England’s heavy 4-1 Ashes defeat has sparked strong criticism, and one of the loudest voices has been that of former England opener Geoffrey Boycott. The 85-year-old, who once won the Ashes in Australia himself, did not hold back while analysing England’s recent approach to Test cricket.

In his column for the Daily Telegraph, Boycott directly targeted England’s leadership group, writing, "Brendon McCullum, Rob Key, and Ben Stokes sold a lie for three years."





According to Boycott, England’s current philosophy has encouraged players to bat and bowl without fear but without responsibility.

"McCullum's philosophy is do your own thing. Play without a care in the world. Express yourselves and if you get out, no problem, it's not your fault," he added.

"Nobody tells them off, there is no accountability, and nobody gets dropped so they just keep doing the same daft things."

England went to Australia believing their fast bowlers could trouble the hosts.

But injuries and selection issues meant that part-time off-spinner Will Jacks ended up playing as many Tests as quicks Mark Wood and Jofra Archer combined.

Meanwhile, young spinner Shoaib Bashir, who had been prepared for the Ashes, did not play a single match.

The series also highlighted both the positives and negatives of England’s attacking style. Jacob Bethell’s brilliant century in Sydney stood out. It was his first hundred in first-class cricket and showed his talent clearly. However, Bethell’s development had earlier been slowed because he was often rested during the 2025 domestic season.

Despite limited chances, the 22-year-old showed maturity beyond his years with a superb 154 in Sydney.

Former Australia opener Justin Langer praised the innings, saying, "That is entertainment. Not running down and hitting it up in the air and saying, 'That's how we play.'"

When McCullum and Stokes took charge in 2022, England enjoyed early success, winning 10 of their first 11 Tests. But results have dipped since.

England have now lost 14 of their last 28 Tests and have not beaten Australia or India in a major series since 2018.


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