Despite England’s historic four-wicket win at the Australian ground since 2011, former England captain Michael Vaughan dismissed the victory as a “lottery.” He criticised the aggressive “Bazball” style led by captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.
Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, he said: “It’s nice to win a game of cricket but let’s be honest, it was a complete lottery in Melbourne. It wasn’t a proper game of Test match cricket
Vaughan argued that England must perform well in the final Ashes Test in Sydney to prove their recent success is sustainable.
He urged the management to stay “rock solid” and emphasised the need for a strong win in a competitive match that isn’t a “two-dayer.”
England had already lost the series against Australia after three consecutive defeats. The MCG win was an outcome of the bowling-friendly treacherous pitch that witnessed the fall of 36 wickets in just two days.
Under the leadership of Brendon McCullum, England has recorded 25 wins and 17 losses in 45 matches. Despite these victories, the ultra-aggressive “Bazball” approach failed when it mattered most in the first three matches.
The Sydney Test will be a decisive factor for the future of the current leadership. Vaughan stated clearly that if England gets “pummelled” again, an internal dialogue about the team’s performance will be necessary.
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