Former England Star Wants 27-Year-Old Dropped from Playing XI
Geoffrey Boycott slams Zak Crawley’s form, urges England to drop him ahead of the upcoming Ashes series
Former England opener Sir Geoffrey Boycott has strongly criticized Zak Crawley for his repeated failures in the ongoing Test series against India, calling for the opener to be dropped from the playing XI with the Ashes looming.
Crawley began the series with a fluent 65 in the first Test, but his form has since plummeted, registering scores of 19, 0, 18, and 22 in the following innings. His second-innings dismissal at Lord’s a loose drive to a wide delivery particularly frustrated Boycott.
“How many more chances is Crawley going to get? After 57 Tests, he hasn’t shown any improvement. He was caught behind in the first innings, and then a front-foot drive in the second to a wide delivery resulted in his down. It is time to move on from him,” Boycott said.
Boycott emphasized that England cannot afford to carry underperforming players, especially with a high-stakes Ashes series scheduled for later in the year. He warned that Crawley’s technical vulnerabilities make him a clear target for elite opposition.
“Most rival bowlers are eager to face him. Just imagine what the Australian pacers are planning for this winter’s Ashes. If Starc doesn’t trouble you, Hazlewood and Cummins certainly will,” he added.
