London [UK], January 8 : Following England's 4-1 Ashes series loss to Australia, former Three Lions batter Kevin Pietersen came hard at the current batch of cricketers, saying that apart from players like skipper Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Jofra Archer, all-rounder Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook "with a brain", the team does not look good enough to compete against top Test teams like Australia and India.
England's 'Bazball' hype was dead and buried by a solid Australia unit without their frontline pacers Josh Hazlewood (entire series) and skipper Pat Cummins (except Adelaide Test), batters Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne battling inconsistent form and left-hander Jake Weatherald making his Test debut.
Even while Australia was confronting plenty of fitness, form, and age-related issues in their batting and bowling, England could not beat them despite all their firepower and despite being at high point during matches.
The two biggest positives were Root breaking his Test century duck in Australia and England finally ending their 18 Test winless streak in Aussie land after a win within two days at Melbourne.
The English unit, energised by a win at Melbourne, did not get the 2-3 scoreline.
Australia sealed the last match at Sydney by five wickets, chasing the target easily. Once again, after the series, England were left staring at multiple 'what ifs' and some "brain-dead shots".
After the conclusion of the Sydney Test, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) CEO Richard Gould issued a statement, noting the positives but also saying that a "thorough review of the campaign is already underway and will cover tour planning and preparation, individual performance and behaviours, and our ability to adapt and respond effectively as circumstances require."
Taking to X, Kevin volunteered to help ECB in their investigation "for free".
"I will help with the thorough investigation that the ECB are going to conduct, right here, for free. Apart from Stokes, Root, Archer, Bethell & Brook WITH a brain, the team is not good enough to compete with Aus or India. It is proven just on this tour with Aus missing most of their best players. All the pre-tour game chat, discipline chat and now investigations, they are now mere distractions. It's is very simple, as I have stated above. Happy to hear your thoughts, as always?," posted Pietersen, who hit 8,181 runs in 104 Tests with 23 centuries for England
https://x.com/KP24/status/2009200842771964370
Pietersen, in another post on X, said that he had been part of tours where his side "got beaten" and pointed out that the team could have started preparation for the Ashes 12 months before it with proper sleep and fitness and would have still lost. He also pointed out how focus was on "optics", especially under this new leadership duo of skipper Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
"I've been on tours where we just haven't been good enough as a collective and gotten beaten. We could have prepared for 12 months before it, all been in bed at 7pm every night and everyone stayed 100% fit, but we'd have still lost. It's reality! Is what it is... The issue here is, optics!!!! Nothing else!!! And unfortunately, they play a huge part, as sportsmen are public property! So there will be consequences....," he added in another post.
https://x.com/KP24/status/2009219803123265708
He also pointed to batter Asa Tribe, who has played ODIs and T20Is for Jersey besides some experience with England's second-tier side, England Lions and county Glamorgan. Currently plying his trade for Paarl Royals (PR) in the ongoing SA20 season four in South Africa, he urged everyone to "watch him bat please."
"Whilst I'm on England, there's an English batter here in SA, called, Asa Tribe. Watch him bat please."
https://x.com/KP24/status/2009241929528299849
Currently in four SA20 innings, he has made 106 runs at an average of 26.50 and a strike rate of 134.17, including a best score of 51. He has a solid first-class cricket record, with 1,013 runs in 16 matches at an average of over 44, three centuries and five fifties.
In five ODIs for Jersey, he has made 237 runs in five innings at an average of 59.25, including a century and a fifty. In 26 T20Is, he has made 564 runs at an average of 25.63, with a strike rate of over 124, including four fifties.
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