Ashes: Steve Smith defends under-fire England cricket team coach

Australian cricket team skipper Steve Smith isn’t ready to squarely put the blame for England’s failures in the Ashes on coach Trevor Bayliss ahead of the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne.

Australian cricket team skipper Steven Smith came to the defence of under-fire England coach Trevor Bayliss with the visitors already conceding the Ashes urn after trailing 0-3 in the five-match series.

Australian cricket team skipper Steven Smith came to the defence of under-fire England coach Trevor Bayliss ahead of the third Ashes Test at Melbourne. Smith was one of many Australian players to have thrived under the guidance of Bayliss. (AFP)

Many England greats have put the blame on Bayliss for England’s inability to put up a fight against the hosts, who are aiming for another 5-0 clean sweep - a feat the Kangaroos achieved four years ago.

Andy Flower’s final assignment as England coach was the 5-0 series loss that unfolded four years ago in Australia.

But the Australia skipper isn’t ready to squarely put the blame on the England coach ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

“Sometimes it’s a bit harsh to lay a lot of the blame on the coach,” Smith told reporters here.

“In the end they’re not the ones out there playing, it’s the players and they have to take some responsibility as well.

Smith is among the many Australian players to have thrived under the guidance of Bayliss.

Bayliss was the coach who promoted Smith to first drop at New South Wales and asked him to captain the Sydney Sixers in the Big Bash League.

“I enjoyed working with him. No doubt he’ll be disappointed but he’s a terrific guy and a very good coach,” Smith said.