In a press gathering in New Delhi, England legend Ian Botham openly slammed the team’s Bazball style, warning Ben Stokes and his players that they might need to go home if they stay stubbornly unchanged after the painful defeat in Perth. The match turned out to be a two‑day ordeal in which Travis Head shone brilliantly, ensuring Australia wrapped up the game in just 83 balls and claimed an eight‑wicket win.
The prevailing criticism of Bazball intensified when former stars like Michael Vaughan and R Ashwin labeled the approach reckless following the loss. Gaining the latest flak, Botham described Bazball as “horrendous” and urged England to revamp their game plan quickly, saying:
> “It (Perth) was horrendous, there’s no other word for it. England needs to fire up and fire up quickly. I’m fed up of hearing, ‘this is the way we play’. If I hear it once more, I think I’ll throw something at the television. If that’s the way you play, you might as well go home now because it’s going to be 5‑0.”
He added,
> “They probably won’t like me saying that but they need to need to get their heads around it. I want more pride when I see people pulling that sweater on,” Botham told PA News Agency.
Perth was a chaotic, record‑setting day for Ashes cricket, with 19 wickets falling on day 1 – the most ever for an Ashes Test – as Australia’s bowlers, especially Mitchell Starc, terrorised England in the first innings. After saddling England for 172, the hosts were bowled out for 132 in the first handover. In the second innings, England fell again for 164, setting Australia a modest target of 205. At a blistering pace, Travis Head launched a fiery 123 off 83 balls, reaching a 69‑ball hundred that shattered England’s defense and nearly won the match single‑handedly. Support from Marnus Labuschagne (51*) and Steve Smith’s winning runs saw Australia finish the chase in just 28.2 overs, leaving England stunned and putting Australia ahead 1‑0 in the five‑match series.
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