Geoffrey Boycott’s verdict on England’s loss: ‘Stokes says they will learn from this tour. I am not convinced’ | Cricket News

Former England captain Geoffrey Boycott has made a scathing attack on Ben Stokes and co after their dismal show in the recently-concluded five-match Test series against India.
England started the five-match series with a win at Hyderabad but it went progressively worse for them and ended up losing the series 1-4.
“Stokes says they will learn from this tour. I am not convinced. They will go back home and revert to type and beat ordinary West Indies and Sri Lanka teams and India will be forgotten as a dant memory, “wrote Boycott in his column in The Telegraph.
England’s Joe Root plays a shot in the fourth Test between India and England at the JSCA International Stadium Complex in Ranchi. (PTI Photo)
Boycott was also critical of the overtly aggressive approach of England batters in the series.
“They (English batters) were not confident of their ability to defend, especially with fielders around the bat, so they looked to attack instead. That idea is fraught with danger against quality spinners,” he wrote.

Boycott also warned the England team management to must look ahead of James Anderson.
“Jimmy Anderson deserves all the adulation and plaudits for staying fit to play 187 Test matches and reach 700 wickets,” said Boycott.
“England cannot keep wrapping him in cotton wool and picking him on sentiment forever. In a year-and-a-half England’s next big challenge will be going to Australia to try and win back the Ashes.
“Jimmy will be 43 the next Ashes and I don’t see him being able to do the hard yards on tough, bone hard pitches and in hot weather. England have to find some young seamers who can bowl 20 overs and come back the next day ready for more.”
India’s Kuldeep Yadav with teammates celebrates the dismissal of England’s Ollie Robinson during the third day of the fourth Test cricket match between India and England, at JSCA International Cricket Stadium, in Ranchi, Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024. (PTI Photo)
Boycott said England batsmen’s failure to negate left-arm wr spinner Kuldeep Yadav was one of the main reasons behind the team’s thumping defeat against India in the recent Test series.
Kuldeep walked away with 19 wickets from four games.
“I was amazed how many of them could not read the wr spinner Kuldeep Yadav and the end of the series were still no wiser. A bowler can be a mystery to you the first couple of times you have to face him.
“But at international level, batsmen should be able to find a way to work him out. Too many never looked comfortable against him and were reduced to staying back and trying to play him off the pitch.”