2 (370)

Picture Credit: Twitter

England's performance in Test cricket has gone down dramatically in the last few months. Their batters are continuously failing which is affecting the team's performance. A recent stat about most runs for England in 2021 showed Extras as the third-highest contributor. This itself reflects England batter's misery in Test cricket, Apart from Joe Root and Rory Burns, no other batter scored a century for them throughout the year. These continuous batting failures have started frustrating everyone including former cricketers.

Geoffrey Boycott also did not look too impressed with England's batters. Jos Buttler in particular was on his radar as the former Englishman demanded Buttler's removal from the Test team. In his column to the Telegraph, Boycott wrote about Jos Buttler's poor run in Test cricket and said that he can't be given a place in the team on the basis of his white-ball performance.

"It's time to move on from Buttler. England can't be sentimental or be seduced by his brilliant performances in one-day cricket. The fact is he isn't doing enough to keep his Test place. He only has two centuries in 57 Test matches," wrote Boycott about Buttler. He further pointed out the lack of consistency from Buttler in the red-ball cricket. Boycott also drew a comparison between him and Bairstow and backed the latter to take over the wicketkeeping duties as well.

"In the Ashes, he has played 14 Test matches and averaged 19. That isn't good enough. Buttler should now go. He isn't as good a wicketkeeper as Bairstow, and Bairstow is a better batsman against quality bowlers - that's the important thing. For some time now, Buttler hasn't delivered in Test cricket when the pressure is on," explained the former England opener.

England's top order needs to perform if they want to win: Boycott

The 81-year-old also pointed out the flaws in England's batting order and urged the top order to step up. Boycott said that England top-order has continuously failed and left a lot for the lower order too often. "England or any other country can't win Test matches if they keep being three or four wickets down for next to nothing; they were 36-4 in the first innings (of the 4th Ashes Test), and all through the series, it's been like that," he wrote.

"The middle and lower order are nearly always fighting an uphill battle by the time they come in. The opposition fast bowlers are on top and high on confidence," he added. Notably, England have had opening partnerships of 0, 23, 7, 4, 4, 7, 22, and 46 in last eight innings.