England's Batting Meltdown Puts Ashes Hopes in Jeopardy
The Ashes series began with optimism for England, but after a devastating two-day defeat in Perth, serious questions are being asked about their batting approach. Ben Stokes's team collapsed dramatically in both innings, leaving former England batsman Mark Ramprakash questioning whether the team are being honest with themselves about what needs to change.
The Perth Collapse: A Pattern Repeating
When England won the toss and chose to bat first in Perth, hopes were high given their settled lineup and quality fast bowling attack. However, Mitchell Starc and Australia's bowlers mauled the English batting, exposing what Ramprakash describes as a lack of 'emotional intelligence and situational awareness'.
The second innings proved particularly concerning. From a position of strength at 105-1 just after lunch on the second day, England suffered a dramatic collapse. Ollie Pope, Joe Root and Harry Brook all fell driving at good length balls rather than being dismissed by unplayable deliveries. Australia simply had to wait for the mistakes to come.
Ramprakash observed that England seemed caught in a 'gladiatorial' mindset, feeling compelled to show Australia they felt no fear from the very first ball. The problem, he suggests, is that every batter in the current England team has been selected for their aggressive approach, leaving no room for players who can bat for sessions and weather difficult bowling spells.
Learning From Past Successes
What makes the Perth performance particularly frustrating is that England had shown they could adapt during their summer series against India. Ramprakash points to the first innings partnership between Joe Root and Ollie Pope at Lord's where they built a foundation of 109 runs at three an over, demonstrating precisely the kind of situational awareness that was missing in Perth.
That series against quality opposition was meant to prepare England for Australian conditions, but instead they reverted to what Ramprakash describes as a 'total lottery' approach. While Ben Stokes argued that being proactive was necessary on the Perth pitch, sometimes the truly aggressive option is to be completely ruthless in defence, giving nothing away and batting the opposition into submission.
The parallels with the 2023 Ashes are concerning. At Lord's then, Australia bowled short and England's batters fell into the trap. In Perth, they went wide of off stump with the same result. Australia knew they didn't need to panic - England would likely get themselves out.
The Path Forward: Reflection and Adaptation
With an extended break before the second Test at the Gabba, England have time for crucial reflection. Ramprakash emphasises that they must be completely honest with themselves about what went wrong. While Stokes consistently talks about blocking out external noise and doubling down on their approach, sometimes that approach is 'bloody difficult' against quality bowling.
If England face similar conditions in Brisbane with the pink ball, the same answers will likely produce the same outcome. Something has to change, or the Ashes could effectively be over after just two Tests. The team that showed such promise and adaptability over the English summer must rediscover those qualities quickly if they're to salvage their Ashes campaign.
