Former England captain Michael Vaughan came down heavily at Ollie Pope and Co after the hosts' loss against Sri Lanka at the Oval, which turned out to be a blemish on an otherwise spotless Test summer. England were bowled out for a paltry 156 and despite conceding a 62-run lead, Sri Lanka chased down 219 runs professionally and rather comfortably not just to stay in the hunt for a spot in the WTC final but also to avoid a series white-wash.
Vaughan felt that England got complacent and borderline cocky even after winning five Tests in a row in the ongoing summer, three against the West Indies and two against Sri Lanka. "I felt that they disrespected Test cricket, and disrespected Sri Lanka in the third Test by being over-aggressive with both the bat and in their field placings," Vaughan wrote in his column for the Telegraph.
"England have made a habit of becoming a bit complacent after a good period – I think of the start of the Ashes, or earlier this year in Rajkot – and I hope it serves as a wake-up call for the tougher Tests that lie in wait in 2025. There is no way they will get away with playing like this against India or Australia."
England have to play three Tests against Pakistan and as many against New Zealand away, however, the five-match assignments against India at home and Australia away would stretch and test the Brendon McCullum side to its limit.
"The intensity and concentration in the big moments were missing this week. It was all a bit flimsy, cocky even. They took the mickey out of the game. The answer in Test cricket’s hottest moments cannot always be attack, attack, attack," Vaughan further said.
The match turned from the moment England underwent a middle-order collapse in the first innings, going from 261/3 to 325 all out. England survived those mishaps in the matches earlier in the summer but not this time around. Even though Sri Lanka were bowled out for 263, the deficit wasn't as big and their bowling performance in the second innings, combined with some poor shot selection and approach from England was ultimately the clincher for the visitors to record only their fourth Test win in the country.
"I would really encourage England never to lose the love of winning. Sitting in the dressing room after a Test win, whether it is in the Ashes away or against an average West Indies side or Sri Lanka, who are not as strong as they once were, in your own backyard, that is a very special feeling. You should be desperate for it every week as a Test cricketer," Vaughan added.
