Geoffrey Boycott is 85 years old, but his passion for English cricket has never faded. After watching England suffer a crushing 4-1 defeat in the recent Ashes series in Australia, the legendary opener didn't hold back his frustration. He feels the team’s leadership has let the fans down. In a stinging critique, Boycott stated, "Brendon McCullum, Rob Key, and Ben Stokes sold a lie for three years."
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He believes the current culture in the dressing room has become too relaxed. Boycott explained, "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." For a man who built his career on grit and patience, this lack of discipline is painful to watch. He added, "Nobody tells them off, there is no accountability, and nobody gets dropped, so they just keep doing the same daft things."
The Ashes series was a massive disappointment for everyone involved. England, under Brendon McCullum, went to Australia with high hopes, but injuries and poor decisions left them struggling. While there were small flashes of brilliance, like Jacob Bethell’s century in Sydney, too many players threw their wickets away. Even former Australian coach Justin Langer noticed the flaw in England's "fun" approach, saying, "That is entertainment. Not running down and hitting it up in the air and saying, 'That's how we play.'"
When Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes first took over, they promised a revolution called "Bazball." At first, it worked, and England won almost everything. But that dream has since hit a wall. England has now lost 14 of their last 28 Tests under Brendon McCullum and hasn't won a major series against Australia or India in years. It seems the "dream" they are showing the public hasn't come true, leaving legends like Boycott feeling like the fans were sold a story that doesn't match the reality on the scoreboard.
