Although conditions were tough for hitting, Chappell pointed out the lack of effort from hitters on both sides. The former Australia cricketer opined that the batsmen have not only disappointed the fans but also their predecessors who put their heart and soul into this iconic rivalry.
“Two Tests in the series failed to reach day three, not because of superior skills, but due to a glaring absence of desire. Batsmen batted wildly, abandoning technique for bravado, as if they were playing their ‘natural game’ and justifying capitulation,” Chappell told India Today.
“They failed predecessors who bled for this rivalry; they failed fans who braved the holiday heat; they betrayed their own generation by abandoning the core tenets of cricket: playing every ball on merit, throwing away every run, enduring bruises for the greater good,” he added.
Chappell expressed doubts about the future of the red ball format. He said batters should be able to bat for at least 100 overs regardless of the conditions in which a match is played.
“I understand that white-ball cricket has changed the game and that strength is valued more in the market today than the ability to absorb pressure, but if the modern player values Test cricket, as they say, then they must demonstrate it by being able to bat a combined minimum of 100 overs in all conditions. If they cannot or do not want to do that, then the format is doomed to failure,” he wrote.
England finally ended their losing streak Down Under. After losing the first three Tests, the Three Lions took a consolation win in the Boxing Day Test. The final of the series will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from Sunday, January 4.
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