Left Arm Around

After a humbling, and some would argue ‘catastrophic’ 4-1 hammering at the hands of the Indian juggernaut, one question stands out from the rest.

How will the team respond bounce back from a defeat that has left many pondering whether they can become a world-class team?

In a series that started so brightly with that famous victory in Hyderabad, England are without a series win (excluding the sole Ireland Test) since the end of 2022 when they whitewashed a depleted Pakistan away from home.

They have enjoyed entertaining series draws, first in New Zealand, and then in that dramatic home Ashes, but the manner of the losses here signal a unit of players who were unable to fully adapt when the going got tough.

The emergence of England’s spin department in the form of newcomers Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir is a real highlight and gives room for optimism.

Zak Crawley struck four half-centuries and over 400 runs with the bat- proving he can succeed in spin-friendly conditions.

Yet the performance of senior players such as Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes with the bat, players with over 200 Tests between them, is a real cause for concern as the Three Lions aim to turn Bazball into a consistent and robust winning machine.

Their current brand of cricket will ALWAYS entertain and bring eyeballs to the sport, encouragingly so, however losing will hurt them deeply as they aim to become the best team in the world.

Captain Ben Stokes has warned the critics to ‘write England off at your peril’.

But as they look ahead to their next Test against West Indies at Lord’s on July 10, 118 days from now, it’s almost impossible to imagine how England will shape up at the home of cricket.

Jimmy Anderson has the reached the milestone of 700 Test wickets but is approaching 42 years old. Will they stick with him?

Jonny Bairstow isn’t getting any younger and failed to pass fifty in the series, leaving the door ajar for rising star Harry Brook.

Ben Foakes starred with the gloves, yet failed to shine when batting with the tail.

And even Ollie Pope, who struck a magnificent 196 in Hyderabad, will be feeling the heat after bagging a pair in Ranchi and scoring just 30 runs in Dharamshala.

England will be clear favourites heading into a Test summer where they face West Indies for three Tests and Sri Lanka for another three, but will defeating sides they’re expected to hammer prove anything at all?

With an Ashes series down under in late 2025, maybe it’s time for some changes.

It doesn’t have to be drastic.

Harry Brook WILL return, and the likes of Josh Tongue and Gus Atkinson are begging to be picked.

A few alterations combined with that free-thinking positive approach will mean England are a real force to be reckoned with.

One thing is for certain.

They cannot go to Australia next year with the same stupid tactics and safe selections as before, while also expecting to reclaim the urn…