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“Could be 5-0 but…”: Glenn McGrath praises Australia's strength with ‘England’ warning

Soumyajit Dutta

Glenn McGrath [Source: @ScoMo30/X.com]Glenn McGrath [Source: @ScoMo30/X.com]

Australia legend Glenn McGrath, in his column for BBC News, wrote a blunt critique of English cricket while not necessarily diminishing their stature. Ben Stokes & Co. were praised as well as slammed equally to amp up their game ahead of the Adelaide Test.

Currently, Australia leads the series 2-0 after Gabba and McGrath thinks that the series might end up as a whitewash for England and might even turn upside down for Australia too if they turn ‘complacent’.

McGrath subtly criticises Australia while praising Bazball

McGrath was particularly vocal about England’s playing technique as he lauded Bazball and its aspects of flourishing while also stressing the fact that they need to turn around the series if they want to avoid getting embarrassed.

“Not in Australia's wildest dreams could they have believed they would be 2-0 up in this Ashes series after playing only six days of cricket. They gave England a lesson in how to play Test cricket, particularly day-night Test cricket. This series is not dead, but it's not far from it. If England doesn't win the third Test in Adelaide, it will get embarrassing,” McGrath wrote.

Speaking of the much-talked-about Bazball aspect, McGrath was appreciative with his remarks in the column while urging the English players to bounce back from their slump.

“There is a lot I like about England's attitude. I love it when sportspeople play without fear, because that helps them push the boundaries of what is possible. My concern for England was the message of "this is the way we play" yielded a culture that lacks accountability. It was almost that England had decided conditions had to adapt to them, rather than England adapting their game to suit the conditions,” McGrath wrote.

McGrath predicts 5-0 possibility in The Ashes

Speaking of the Adelaide affair, McGrath warned Australia not to get complacent because the likes of Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins might return to the fray.

“Adelaide will be a good pitch, with something in it for batters and bowlers. Australia will remember how England came from 2-0 down to draw the last Ashes. They will know England are dangerous. They cannot get complacent. An Australia team should always think it can win every Test it plays, so for that reason this team should be thinking about winning 5-0. England will know they have no choice but to turn things around in Adelaide. If they don't, then it really could be 5-0,” McGrath concluded.

Notably, Mark Wood has been ruled out of The Ashes series from the England camp, and Josh Hazlewood is yet to make a comeback after missing out from the Gabba Test as Cummins is likely to wear the captain’s hat again for the hosts on December 17.