Forget the Jonny Bairstow stumping. The reason England lost at Lord’s and Rajkot was because they gifted wickets away when the match was there for the taking.
The Australians run the risk of becoming a jaded,aged team by the end of next year. You only have to look to 2006/07 to see what the results of that can be.
The Jonny Bairstow incident has been very convenient. It’s taken up all the column inches,to the point that you’d think that’s why England are 2-0 down. It’s not.
I think it’s almost impossible against this Australian team to win three Tests on the trot. But just win at Headingley first and you never know,especially with Ben Stokes in the side.
Every player in the world who goes to the Indian Premier League waxes lyrical about how it improves their game,but what have India ever delivered?
On the back of a remarkable British summer of Test cricket,it has become clear:Ben Stokes’ team will not be scared of playing aggressively against Australia’s pace attack.
People will be judging a few individuals over the next couple of weeks. An Ashes series can be a career-maker or career-ender.
To not pick Stuart Broad to bowl the first ball to David Warner from around the wicket in Brisbane was blatant stupidity - but the rot had set in long before then.
England must be spot on with selections but it is up to the players to improve their batting,fielding and mentality in Adelaide.
Ben Stokes is the engine of this England team,the man who powers them. He doesn’t just contribute massively himself,he lifts those around him.
The only way England have a chance of beating Australia is if everyone commits early. We cannot have players going to the Twenty20 World Cup and then playing two or three Ashes Tests and going home.