After England were eliminated from the World Cup last Monday, there has been a fierce backlash from all paradigms in England, beckoning the team as overrated and replete with mediocrity, with some expressing strong reproach over Kevin Pieterson’s sacking as a prominent reason for the same. Some others however blamed the selectors for their reprehensible job.
However former Australian captain Ricky Ponting rubbished any claim of Kevin Pietersen’s absence as the main reason for the English cricket team’s debacle, stating the player looked only a shadow of himself during the Big Bash and could have added only a trifle of the missing spark.
He largely blamed it on the lack of the spark required to succeed in the shorter format, pointing at the ineffectiveness of players like James Taylor and Ian Bell in the shorter versions , although the possessed great technique and were fantastic players.
He also termed Moeen Ali as more of an all rounder and also rendered Joe Root Ineffective in this format. He even expressed the lack of X-factor in the English team and the monotony of their bowlers who were all primarily swing bowlers and looked indifferent and ineffective when the ball did not swing.
He also mentioned the astronomical mistake that England made by sending Jos Butler much lower down the order after the theme of the innings had been established and fortified, thus not utilising him to the fullest.
He even referred to the decision of making Eoin Morgan the captain counter-productive as he was repressed by the burden of captaincy, and thus underwent a malignant slump in form. His lack of leadership experience turned counter-productive for England with him leading in only in a couple of series prior to the tournament.