England's hopes of reclaiming the Ashes urn have been officially dashed after a crushing 82-run defeat to Australia in Adelaide. This loss confirms a 3-0 series deficit, extending England's Ashes drought, with Australia holding the coveted trophy since 2018.
Boycott's Blistering Verdict on Pope
The aftermath of the defeat has seen legendary England batsman Geoffrey Boycott launch a scathing attack on the team's underperforming batters. In a column for The Telegraph, Boycott singled out Ollie Pope for particularly harsh criticism, labelling him a "lost cause."
"Ollie Pope is a lost cause because he never learns," Boycott wrote. He went further, stating, "I think he would give his wicket away if he were playing in a county second XI. He can’t help himself as he finds ways to get out that I couldn’t dream up. Somewhere in his head there is a self-destruct button."
The Numbers Behind the Criticism
Boycott's fury is backed by stark statistics. In the ongoing Ashes series, Ollie Pope has managed a paltry 125 runs across six innings, averaging a meagre 20.83. His troubles were evident even before the series began, as he was stripped of the vice-captaincy in favour of Harry Brook.
Pope's overall Test career, spanning 64 matches, shows an average of 34.55 with 3732 runs. However, his record against Australia is dismal, with only 282 runs in 16 innings at an average of 17.62, without a single fifty or century to his name.
Crawley Also in the Firing Line
Boycott did not spare opener Zak Crawley either. While acknowledging Crawley's two half-centuries in the series, the 1970/71 Ashes hero argued that such sporadic brilliance is insufficient. "Zak Crawley is a hit-and-miss batsman. Mainly miss and then he seduces us with a blistering innings. It should not be enough to keep his place," Boycott asserted.
He called for a major overhaul, urging the team management to drop consistently failing players and focus on technical improvement and discipline. England's last three Ashes campaigns against Australia have resulted in heavy losses: 4-0 in 2017/18, a defeat at home in 2021/22, and now another series loss confirmed in 2025.
The call from one of England's greatest cricketers is clear: the time for patience is over, and significant changes are needed to rebuild a team capable of competing with and eventually defeating Australia.
