Ben Stokes’ Ashes Speech Slammed By Ex-AUS Cricketer Tim Paine, Calls England ‘Below-Average Team’

July 8, 2024 0 749

Tim Paine downplayed England’s claims of revolutionising Test cricket in Ben Stokes’ Ashes speech, citing their low World Test Championship ranking.

England captain Ben Stokes’ comments in a recent documentary on the 2023 Ashes series have ignited debate about the team’s cricketing philosophy. In a motivational speech to his team during the fourth Test, Stokes emphasised the importance of their playing style, even if it did not translate into winning the Ashes trophy.

“We’ve built something special here, something that will be remembered by fans who witnessed it. The results are secondary to the team we’ve become,” Stokes said, as quoted in the documentary.

Former Australian captain Tim Paine, however, believes Stokes’ remarks were taken out of context and overstated England’s impact. He pointed out their current ranking of ninth in the ICC World Test Championship standings.

ALSO READ | Sunil Gavaskar Hails Rohit Sharma As “People’s Captain” After Leading India to T20 World Cup Glory

“They seem to think they’re revolutionising Test cricket. But they’re not. They’re currently below average,” Paine said on SEN Tassie Breakfast. Paine argued that England’s focus on style over results is misplaced, especially considering their position in the global Test arena.

“You’re coming dead last in the World Test Championship. You’re not going to be a team that everyone remembers watching, and you’re not doing anything outrageously good that we haven’t seen before. You’re an average cricket team. You are, at the moment, a below-average cricket team, and I think they need to get their heads around that a little bit,” Paine said of England’s stature.