Former England cricketer Sir Geoffrey Boycott has called for Zak Crawley to be dropped from the national side following a string of disappointing performances. Boycott, known for his sharp cricketing insights, voiced his concerns after the young opener’s struggles continued in the third Test against India at Lord’s.
Crawley, 27, has been a regular in the England team since his debut in 2019. Despite a promising start to his international career, his form has remained inconsistent, with recent displays raising serious doubts about his place in the squad. After a composed 65 in the opening Test at Headingley, Crawley has since recorded scores of just 19, 0, 18, and 22. His latest dismissal in the second innings at Lord’s – a loose front-foot drive to a wide delivery – was particularly frustrating, once again exposing his technical weaknesses.
In his column for The Telegraph, Boycott was especially critical of Crawley’s failure to learn from repeated mistakes after 57 Tests. He pointed out that Crawley has been prone to similar types of dismissals, with his loose shots often leading to his downfall. Boycott wrote:
“How many more chances is Crawley going to get? He has learned nothing in his 57 Tests. A waft in the first innings caught behind and a front-foot drive in the second innings to a wide sucker ball caught at gully. It was just a replay of too many of his dismissals. Time to go.”
Boycott’s remarks reflect the growing frustration surrounding Crawley’s place in the team. With a batting average of just 31 and only five centuries to his name, the former England opener believes these statistics do not justify Crawley’s continued selection. The pressure is mounting, and Boycott insists that England cannot afford to carry a player who isn’t delivering consistently.
The timing of Boycott’s comments is particularly significant, as England prepares for the highly anticipated Ashes series against Australia later this year. He warned that the Australian fast bowlers would be relishing the prospect of bowling to Crawley, highlighting the danger posed by the likes of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, and Pat Cummins.
“Most opposition bowlers can’t wait to get their sweaters off to bowl at him. Can you imagine what the Australian seamers are thinking about this winter’s Ashes series? If Starc doesn’t get you, Hazlewood and Cummins will.”
Crawley previously faced the Australian attack during the 2021-22 Ashes series, where his only notable contribution was a half-century in Sydney. England will need more than sporadic performances if they are to compete against a ruthless Australian side.
Boycott also turned his attention to another young England batter, Ollie Pope. While Pope has shown more promise than Crawley, Boycott suggested the Surrey batter may be too committed to the aggressive ‘Bazball’ philosophy, which encourages risk-taking at the crease. He believes Pope needs to be more situationally aware and avoid reckless shot-making.
“Ollie needs to go back to basic batting. He needs to assess the situation and bat accordingly – not slavishly to an ideology or how he thinks the captain and coach want him to play,” Boycott wrote.
As England looks ahead to the fourth Test against India, starting July 23 in Manchester, they will be hoping to bounce back from their recent struggles. With the series currently poised at 2-1 in England’s favour, both Crawley and Pope will be under intense scrutiny as they aim to cement their spots ahead of the Ashes.
As Boycott aptly puts it, England needs more from its top-order if they are to challenge Australia in what promises to be a fiercely contested series later this year. Time is running out for the likes of Crawley to turn things around.
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