Ashes 2023: England focused on entertaining more than winning 1st Test, says Geoffrey Boycott

New Delhi, India

Former England captain Geoffrey Boycott has slammed Ben Stokes-led England after they lost the Edgbaston Test to Australia by two wickets and conceded a 1-0 lead in the Ashes 2023 edition. Despite dominating the opening Test for the most part, England failed to close the game as Pat Cummins (44 not out) and Nathan Lyon's (unbeaten 16) unbroken 55-run ninth-wicket stand rescued Australia in pursuit of 282. 

Throughout the game, a lot was said and written about England's Bazball approach. Stokes surprised one and all by declaring the first innings at 393 for 8 despite Joe Root remaining unbeaten at 118. He impressed everyone with his field placements and bowling changes as Australia were dismissed for 386 in reply. Further, England continued to go hard with the bat for most parts in their second innings before they folded for 273; giving a challenging 282-run target in the process. However, Boycott believes England concentrated more on entertaining than winning the match.

'England are in danger of reducing the Ashes to an exhibition'

"England are in danger of reducing the Ashes to an exhibition," Boycott wrote in his scathing column for The Telegraph. "England have got carried away with Bazball and seem to think entertaining is more important than winning. But England supporters want one thing more than anything else -- to win the Ashes."

Also read: Ashes 2023: Bell claims 'Australia have more to work on' despite Cummins & Co.'s narrow win in Edgbaston

Boycott further opined, "Scoring fast runs, whacking lots of fours and sixes is lovely. It is great. But only if England do not lose sight of the big prize which is to beat Australia. If at the end of the series Australia go home with the Ashes, we will feel sick, regardless of how much we have been entertained. If England are not playing to win then these Ashes Tests are not that important. They are only exhibition matches. They have got it back to front. It is not about entertaining and then winning. It is about winning first."

The veteran added, "By all means entertain but cricket is like chess. There are moments when you need to defend. Sometimes you need to be patient and accept it. Do not just attack, attack, attack. England need a bit of common sense and pragmatism. That is all that is required. They do not have to change being positive because they are a better side than Australia and will win if they just show that common sense."

England, under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, have promised to come hard at Australia in the second Test, which kicks off on June 28 at Lord's.