As England prepare for the second Ashes Test in Brisbane, the tension around the team has only heightened. What began as frustration over a crushing defeat in Perth has grown into a sharp public exchange, with one of England’s most famous former players delivering a stern reminder of what the Ashes truly demand.
Geoffrey Boycott, never known for soft opinions, responded forcefully to recent comments of Ben Stokes in which the captain referred to former England cricketers as “has-beens”. Although Ben Stokes later admitted the remark was a mistake and a “horrible word”, Geoffrey Boycott believes the issue reflects a larger problem within the team.
Geoffrey Boycott explained that critics are not rooting against England, nor are they eager to tear down the current players. Instead, he said, former cricketers and journalists speak bluntly because they want the team to succeed. According to Geoffrey Boycott, when England lose from strong positions, as they did in Perth, honest criticism becomes unavoidable. In his view, people cannot pretend poor cricket is good just to protect players’ feelings. He argued that England came into the series convinced their preparation would be enough, despite having only one warm-up match, and that the response to defeat should simply be to play better rather than shutting out outside voices.
Geoffrey Boycott is particularly concerned about England’s bowling, which he believes looked flat and poorly planned. He feels the batters must show more mental strength as well. But his sharpest words were saved for Ben Stokes’ captaincy. While acknowledging Ben Stokes’ reputation for being creative and bold with field placements, Geoffrey Boycott said that those qualities need to be paired with stronger tactical control, especially when aggressive opposition batters like Travis Head in Perth begin dictating the game. He suggested that Ben Stokes must react faster and smarter, not rely solely on instinct or flair.
The former opener agreed with Ben Stokes on one point — cricket has changed. But he insisted that evolution does not make past experience worthless. Geoffrey Boycott reminded readers that in many cultures, especially across Asia, wisdom gained over a lifetime is valued deeply. He believes modern players can still learn from those who came before them, even if the game today looks different. He quoted Richie Benaud’s advice that there is always something new to learn and warned that refusing to listen out of pride or stubbornness inevitably leads to failure.
Geoffrey Boycott also stood firm in his view that calling past players “has-beens” was disrespectful, particularly because many of them won Ashes series both at home and in Australia, something this current team has yet to achieve. Though he appreciated that Ben Stokes partially apologised, he stressed that the best way for the captain to silence critics is not through words but through winning. If England can turn the series around, Geoffrey Boycott said, they will not need to answer anyone, their performances will speak for themselves.
As the Brisbane Test approaches, his message is clear — stop feeling attacked, start improving and let results, not defensiveness, define England’s place in Ashes history.
