"It seems one team is playing and the other is participating" - Aakash Chopra on Australia's dominance in the ongoing Ashes
Aakash Chopra has bemoaned the ongoing Ashes turning out to be a one-sided affair, with Australia showing their utter dominance.
Australia handed a nine-wicket thrashing to the Joe Root-led side in the first Test in Brisbane. The hosts are on the verge of registering another convincing win in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra highlighted that England are continuing with their dismal record in Australian conditions. He said:
"The opposing team has been thrashed in a way. It seems one team is playing and the other is participating. I don't remember when England defeated Australia in Australia, God only knows."
The former India cricketer added that the current series seems to be adding another chapter to the hosts' usual dominance in the Ashes. Aakash Chopra elaborated:
"Generally, the home team wins if we see the last many years of the Ashes. It is the same story here as well. Last Ashes was an aberration where there was a contest but here there is no contest at all."
The honest facts are that Australia are a better cricket team in all facets of Test cricket .. No point in making excuses,the Aussies are just a lot better .. #Ashes
The 2019 Ashes series in England ended in a 2-2 draw. A visiting team last won an Ashes in 2010-11 when England got the better of Australia by a 3-1 margin. However, they failed to win a Test in their last two visits Down Under before the current tour.
"It looks half the side" - Aakash Chopra on the current England team
Aakash Chopra pointed out that Joe Root and Dawid Malan are the only England batters to have held their own in the Ashes thus far. He explained:
"If you look at the English team, it looks half the side. Only Root and Dawid Malan are doing the batting, the rest are just making up the numbers. Buttler, who is such a big name in white-ball cricket, he looks a midget when you talk about Test cricket. I feel Ben Foakes is not far from being part of the team."
The reputed commentator added that the English bowling is also not penetrative enough. Aakash Chopra observed:
"Bowling is looking very lackluster. You don't want to play Broad and Anderson all the matches. You are struggling in the pink-ball Test as well. England is going through a phase where it is difficult for them to compete. If Root single-handedly makes 100s or 150s in every match, you become capable of competing else you don't have anything to do with the Ashes."
12 for 2 & the skipper has to walk out again far too early .. Pretty much every aspect of this Test team isn’t working so far on this tour .. but let’s be honest it’s been the same story for a long time against the better teams .. #Ashes
England seem to be heading to a certain defeat in the second Test to go 2-0 down in the series. They have been outplayed despite the hosts missing two of their most prominent seamers - captain Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood.