Legendary England batter Geoffrey Boycott has weighed in on the debate surrounding the Boxing Day Test pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, dismissing claims that England’s win over Australia was a fluke. The match, which ended inside two days, sparked controversy after 20 wickets fell on the opening day, followed by 16 more on day two.

However, Boycott offered a contrasting perspective, insisting that England deserved the victory.

“England won the Boxing Day Test because they played better cricket than Australia. It was no fluke,” Boycott wrote in his column for The Telegraph.

The 85-year-old pointed to a deeper issue behind the dramatic collapses, arguing that modern-day Test batters lack the technique required to survive on lively, seaming pitches.

“One-day matches are played on the flattest batting wickets possible so batsmen can dominate by hitting hard at the ball. That is the absolute opposite of learning how to bat against a moving ball on seaming pitches,” he wrote.

Boycott also stressed that England’s batters are no longer accustomed to challenging conditions due to limited exposure to red-ball cricket.

“Our top batsmen play very little County cricket and almost nothing on tours outside Test matches. Nets alone will not help batsmen master the technique of playing the moving ball,” he added.

The former opener did not spare the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), blaming the system for prioritising revenue over red-ball excellence.

“Sadly, the ECB suits have them playing more and more 50-over, T20 and Hundred cricket because it brings in lots of money. And we know how money is their idea of success, not winning the Ashes or being the best team in the world.”

Boycott concluded by highlighting even Joe Root’s struggles as evidence of the broader problem.

“Joe Root is England’s best technical batsman, yet he failed twice trying to play in a normal style. It just shows how modern batsmen don’t really know how to defend on a seaming pitch,” he wrote.

Also Read: 'It's never what you've...': Smriti Mandhana reflects after completing 10K international runs