Former Team India opener Sunil Gavaskar has slammed England’s batting after their poor performances against Australia in the ongoing Ashes 2025-26 series. Gavaskar also pointed out the irony in England’s struggles, reminding them that they had criticized India during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.
Australia and England are contesting the fifth and final Test of the Ashes at the Sydney Cricket Ground. England showed improved batting form on the opening day, reaching 211/3 by stumps. However, Australia retained the Ashes after winning the first three Tests, while England managed to claim the fourth match.
English Players Mocked Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar – Sunil Gavaskar
In his column for Mid-Day, Sunil Gavaskar recalled that England players mocked Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar for batting on to reach their centuries. Sunil Gavaskar pointed out that England are now facing similar batting problems in Australia.
“All those English players who mocked Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar when they opted to bat on and get to their centuries and not accept the offer to go off the field will have realised that Test match centuries don’t come every day. Those who derided and mocked them then for batting on are finding in Australia that their bats have only edges or holes in the middle,” Gavaskar wrote.
“Both the Indian batters had battled their way to their individual 80s and frustrated the bowlers and with another Test to go, were doing the tactical thing in keeping the fielders in the sun for some more time and were perfectly entitled to do so. Cricket is a great leveller and anybody who shows arrogance as different from confidence gets to learn that very quickly,” he added.
England Have a Chance of Ending the Tour On a High – Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar took a brutal dig at Harry Brook, who is often labelled a “generational talent.” Gavaskar noted that Brook arrived in the Ashes 2025-26 with big expectations but has failed to deliver consistently, managing only modest returns across the first four Tests.
“England have a chance of ending the tour on a high and beginning the new year with a win and keep their chances of qualifying for the WTC final next year. For that to happen, it is important that the ‘generational talent’ in their team come of age and live up to the expectations.”
“However, as we have seen so far, success has been elusive, and hopefully the ‘generational talent’ will deliver in this generation and not the next,” wrote Gavaskar (via the aforementioned source).
Joe Root and Harry Brook Lead England’s Fightback in Final Ashes Test
England’s batting struggles have been evident through most of the Ashes, with the team crossing 300 only twice in eight innings and being bowled out under 200 on three occasions. However, signs of improvement finally appeared in the fifth and final Test in Sydney.
After winning the toss at the Sydney Cricket Ground on January 4, England slipped to 57/3 on day one. Joe Root and Harry Brook then rescued the side with a strong counter-attack. The pair added an unbroken 154-run partnership, taking England to 211/3 before bad light and rain ended play early.
Root finished the day unbeaten on 72, while Brook remained not out on 78, showing control and intent despite pressure from Australia’s fast bowlers. Their stand gave England the upper hand on a rain-hit opening day.
Also read: Steve Smith makes a stunning retirement revelation after Usman Khawaja’s exit in Ashes 2025-26
