One of England's legendary players, Ian Botham, has expressed his dissatisfaction about the team’s minimal preparation for the Ashes series, which is going to be held in Australia. He warned that Ben Stokes’s men may be under strength when they have to face the different challenges that come with the Australian conditions.
England are wrapping up their preparations in Perth, where they will have only one three-day domestic match against the England Lions before the first Test, which will be held on November 21. Botham, who had earlier branded the team’s warm-up program as "bordering on arrogance," went on to say that players still require more time if they are to get used to the pace, bounce, and weather of Australian pitches.
“You have to acclimatise when you come down here,” says Ian Botham
“It’s not the way I would prepare,” Botham said in Melbourne on Tuesday. “Historically, you have to acclimatise when you come down here. You’ve got to remember there are 24 million people down here, not 11. The ball seems to get to you quicker in Perth, the light’s different, and you’ve got the Fremantle Doctor — there’s all kinds of factors that come into play.”
Under head coach Brendon McCullum, England have embraced shorter preparation windows on overseas tours, trusting players to carry rhythm and confidence from domestic and franchise cricket. However, Botham believes that such an approach could backfire in a five-Test Ashes series, where early adjustment often determines momentum.
The last time England won an away Ashes series, in 2010–11, they enjoyed a lengthy build-up with three warm-up games before the first Test. In contrast, their most recent tour in 2021–22, featuring only internal fixtures, ended in a 4-0 defeat.
Despite his criticism, Botham remains optimistic that England’s aggressive, attacking style could trouble Australia — provided their key players remain fit. “If England’s bowlers can stay fit, which doesn’t happen very often, and the captain can play a full part, then England have got a real chance,” he said. “You want to be aggressive, get stuck in — players who aren’t in form won’t like it in the ribs. It’ll be interesting.”
England’s Ashes campaign begins in Perth on November 21, followed by Tests in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.
