Former Australia captain Greg Chappell slammed England and Australia players for the way cricket was played in this year’s Ashes series. He reckons that the players showed a lack of character during the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
MCG Pitch Rating
Batting was very tough for both teams on the tricky MCG pitch. Neither side could score more than 200 runs in any of the four innings, and the match finished in just 142 overs. The pitch, which gave bowlers sharp seam movement all day, was later rated “unsatisfactory” by the ICC, one of the lowest ratings possible.
ALSO READ: Not Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin labels this star as best Indian player of 2025
ALSO READ: Delhi Capitals sign Australia spinner as replacement for Annabel Sutherland ahead of WPL 2026
Chappell questioned batters intent
After the Test, MCG curator Matt Page apologised for the condition of the pitch, and some Australian media called it bad for business. Chappell, however, believes the blame was unfairly placed on the pitch. He said that the batters from both teams should have been held accountable for failing to perform in tough conditions.
“What shocked me most was not the conditions themselves, for cricket has always been a game at the mercy of the elements,” Chappell wrote on ESPNCricinfo. “It was the batters’ reactions. Gestures of disbelief, muttered oaths, wry smiles as they trudged off, as if they alone had been cursed by a rogue delivery. They behaved like novices encountering adversity for the first time.”
Chappell recalled Don Bradman and Kerry O’Keeffe's time
Chappell also emphasised that Test cricket is about endurance and respecting the game’s long history, not quick results. He reminded players like Don Bradman and Kerry O’Keeffe, who faced tough conditions in their time. For example, in 1937, Bradman famously sent his lower-order batters to open so the main batsmen could take advantage of better conditions later in the day, which proved a clever move that helped Australia win the Test.
Chappell questioned professionalism
Chappell wrote, “Professionalism isn’t just about the numbers on a pay cheque. It’s about the willingness to fight for your team, your country, and the honour of the game. In an era dominated by T20 cricket, players risk undoing 148 years of Ashes history.”
He added that two Tests in this series ended before day three is not because of brilliant bowling, but because batters often lacked the focus and discipline needed to survive tough conditions.
Australia played the MCG Test without regular captain Pat Cummins and are still trying to find stability at the top of the order, especially at opener and number three, with Marnus Labuschagne struggling for form. England, on the other hand, stick to their aggressive “Bazball” style, with only Joe Root and Ben Stokes showing the patience to bat for long periods in difficult conditions.