Former Team India opener Sunil Gavaskar has criticized England’s batting after their poor performance against Australia in the ongoing Ashes 2025-26 series. Gavaskar also pointed out the irony of England’s struggles and reminded them that he had criticized India during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.
Australia and England are playing the fifth and final Test of the Ashes at the Sydney Cricket Ground. England had a better batting display on the first day and reached 211/3 at stumps. However, Australia retained the Ashes by winning the first three Tests, while England managed to win the fourth match.
English players made fun of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar – Sunil Gavaskar
In his column for Mid-Day, Sunil Gavaskar recalled that England players had made fun of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar for batting to reach centuries. Sunil Gavaskar said that England is now facing similar batting problems in Australia.
Gavaskar wrote, “All those English players who mocked Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar when they chose to bat and scored their centuries and did not accept the offer to walk off the field must have realized that Test match centuries do not come every day. All those who mocked and mocked them for choosing to bat are finding in Australia that their bats only have holes in the edges or the middle.”
He said, “Both the Indian batsmen had struggled to their respective scores of 80 and frustrated the bowlers and with one more Test left, they were doing a strategic job of keeping the fielders in the sun for a little more time and they were fully entitled to do so. Cricket is a game of great class and anyone who shows arrogance apart from confidence learns this very quickly.”
England have a chance to end the tour brilliantly – Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar took a brutal dig at Harry Brook, who is often labeled a “generational talent”. Gavaskar said the Browns arrived at the Ashes 2025-26 with great expectations but failed to deliver consistently, earning only modest returns in the first four Tests.
“England have a chance to finish the tour on a high and start the New Year on a winning note and keep their chances of qualifying for the WTC Finals next year intact. For that to happen, it is vital that the ‘generational talent’ in their team matures and lives up to expectations.”
Gavaskar wrote (via the above source), “However, as we have seen so far, success has been elusive, and the hope is that ‘generational talent’ will work in this generation, not the next.”
Joe Root and Harry Brook lead England’s comeback in final Ashes Test
England’s batting struggles have been evident for most of the Ashes, with the team crossing the 300 mark only twice in eight innings and being bowled out under 200 three times. However, the fifth and final Test in Sydney finally showed signs of improvement.
After winning the toss at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 4 January, England slipped to 57/3 on the first day. After this, Joe Root and Harry Brook saved the team with a strong counter-attack. The pair put on an unbroken 154-run partnership to take England to 211/3 before play ended early due to bad light and rain.
Root ended the day unbeaten on 72, while Brook remained unbeaten on 78, showing control and intent despite pressure from Australia’s fast bowlers. His stance gave England the lead on a rain-affected opening day.
Also read: Steve Smith makes surprising retirement announcement after Usman Khawaja’s exclusion from Ashes 2025-26