Aside from the 1st test, this is the worst performance in a series from England for a very long time. There are zero positives to take away from it.
Opening partnership is a mess.
No idea who should be batting at 3.
Root’s ability to captain and bat seems to have disappeared again.
Stokes batting at least one spot too high.
No idea where pope should be batting.
No idea who should be keeper.
No effective spinners.
Old/ unfit fast bowling unit.
No idea about judging the pitch and picking a side to reflect conditions.
No idea how to play spin.
Clueless rotation policy.
They’ll take the easy out though... they’ll simply say it’s a work in progress and their focus is on the ashes.
Thats just not true...
1) Sibley is one for the long term
2)Crawley
3) he'll be ok, it's not his fault noone else could score any runs either, he had an ok series
4)he isn't, one bad series shouldn't make his spot change
5) he is exactly where he should be, 6 is perfect for him
6) fokes should be but it'll be butler, butler could be played as just a batsman
7) Leach? He had an ok series without ever having any score board pressure therefore very few attacking fields, bess will be a decent second spinner just needs to get some more form and get some more experience
that's just a ridiculous thing to say, Jimmy is fitted than ever, broad not far behind, only real injury concern is jofra elbow, mark wood getting better and better with his new run up and decent back ups in Wolkes and stone etc
9) one mistake test 3 impacted test 4, agree that's not good enough but it sits with the management
10) that wasn't good enough but is a young side who are working on their game, just look at Sibley at the start of Sri Lanka compared to now. This is also the first real experience of this level of spin bowling.
11) rotation obviously not ideal but necessary to look after mental well-being of the players and to keep them as fresh as possible for the ashes. It's obvious why it's being done. And there is a huge focus on winning world T20.
Externally yes but I think internally they will know they have work to do. The silver wood / root combination is very honest within the group and an away ashes series is always the focus of England's test cricket no matter other teams they play against that hear. It's a fact, that's how English cricket is and we may not like it but we have to accept that's how it is.
There are plenty of positives. We do appear to have found a better batting depth and there are some areas better than others. Our fast bowling stocks are still decent. Yes this series has been rubbish but there's no need for such a blatant over reaction. This negativity doesn't solve anything and just try to see the positives which are clearly there.