Paul Collingwood defends England team after Ashes defeat; says the players 'deserve medals'

The recently concluded five-match Ashes Test series turned out to be a terrible outing for the Joe Root-led England cricket team after the Aussies secured a dominating 4-0 victory in the series. And since the humiliating defeat, skipper Root and the team management had to face a huge backlash and severe criticism. Many former cricketers and experts even wanted Root and coach Chris Silverwood to resign as welḷ.

In a situation like this, former England skipper Paul Collingwood has opened up on this matter and supported the England skipper and the team management also.

Mistakes were made

Collingwood did admit that there were multiple mistakes including “selection mistakes” and “toss mistakes” but at the same time he wants the England team to be “given medals” for taking part in a five-match Ashes Test series.

“Yes, we made mistakes, 100%. We made selection mistakes, we made toss mistakes, but the fact we actually turned up and agreed to a five-match Ashes series, the guys should be given medals for that. It would’ve been much better if we’d done two matches and then three next year. That would’ve been a great compromise,” Collingwood was quoted while talking to ESPNCricinfo.

In recent times, playing matches in bio-bubbles has been a tough task for cricketers. Staying in bio-bubbles for a long time has caused several mental health issues also. While talking on this subject, the 45-year-old former skipper felt that the Joe Root-side were indeed “mentally fatigued” and it is “ludicrous” to expect good performance from the English team after spending such a long time in bio-bubble.

They “deserve medals”

“But no, Australia were not bothered that they were going to receive an England team who were mentally fatigued, they just wanted to get the product out there. They just wanted the Ashes. These guys deserve medals, not criticism. They should be told ‘well done’ for even going.

“It’s the equivalent of the England football team being asked to go to a World Cup, then from that bubble into the Euros. Would you expect a performance from that scenario? It’s ludicrous,” he explained.

In the fourth Ashes Test the visitors managed to show some resistance and earned a draw to avoid a humiliating whitewash against the Aussies.