Former swashbuckling England batter Kevin Pietersen feels Ben Stokes-led team is talking the talk but they are not walking the walk in the ongoing Ashes against Australia. England are down 0-2 in the series and they haven’t been able to win the crucial stages of the first two Test matches, which has led to their downfall.
England has adopted an aggressive Bazball approach under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes but it hasn’t worked in the first two matches. In fact, England was dominated by Australia for the major part of the second Test match, which they went on to lose by 43 runs.
“If you’re going to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk, and this England cricket team isn’t walking the walk. They’re acting like they’re the greatest team around, but they’re currently on course to be the first England team to lose at home to Australia since 2001,” said Pietersen as quoted by India Today.
Pietersen reckons England players should stop speaking overconfidently as the results are not going their way. The former batter feels the hosts need to let their performance do the talking as they are putting themselves under pressure by claiming a few things, which aren’t going their way.
“After the first Test match, Ollie Robinson said that they felt like they won the game, Jimmy Anderson was complaining that the wicket was like kryptonite, and then you’ve got Zak Crawley saying they’re going to win the next one by 150 runs. Leading into Headingley, all of this needs to stop. The pressure that they’re putting themselves under by speaking that way and using that language is unnecessary. It’s not helping in any way, shape, or form,” Pietersen added.
Pietersen feels Australia are relentless when they are in front as they would not give an inch to the opposition whereas he reckons England haven’t got that mongrel in them.
“When they (Australia) get their foot on the throat, they will absolutely push and push and push to destroy you. That’s how they play this sport. They have that mongrel in them. I don’t see the mongrel in the England cricket team. There’s so much relaxed talk. Unfortunately, all that matters is winning,” Pietersen added.
The third Ashes Test will be played at Leeds, Headingley from Thursday onwards.
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