Title contenders England crashed out of the Champions Trophy 2025 early, as they lost to Afghanistan on Wednesday by eight runs in Lahore. Jos Buttler and Co. began their campaign with a defeat to Group B opponents Australia and then a loss to Afghanistan sent them to the exit door.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, R Ashwin took a dig at England’s mentality at the Champions Trophy. He said, “I saw Jos Buttler’s post-match interview (after the Afghanistan game). He was very candid in saying, ‘I do not know what my leadership aspirations are in the future.’ They had a terrible 50-over World Cup in 2023. And now they are out of the 2025 Champions Trophy. 1 They don’t qualify for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. So, with all that in mind, I think England are at a crossroads.”
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“There was a statement from Ben Duckett after losing the first ODI in India. He said, ‘We don’t care if we lose 3-0 to India. Because we want to beat India in the final of the Champions Trophy.’
{{/usCountry}}“There was a statement from Ben Duckett after losing the first ODI in India. He said, ‘We don’t care if we lose 3-0 to India. Because we want to beat India in the final of the Champions Trophy.’
{{/usCountry}}He added, “It reflects their mindset. Is it so easy to go to a major competition and win the final?”
R Ashwin destroys England and questions sub-continent approach
Ashwin also questioned England batters and their approach in Pakistan. “There is no consistent template in your batting. You were marketing and branding Harry Brook as the next generation sensation. But Harry Brook’s game is also sinking. He is now under immense pressure to produce match-winning knocks,” he said.
“What’s happened with England in this Bazball generation is something that they have to retrospect.
“Ravi Shastri has given an amazing comment: that England needs to take sub-continental tours very seriously.”
Further criticising their lack of interest in playing in the sub-continent, he said, “The World Cups England won in 2019 (ODI) at home and in 2022 (T20I) in Australia—they actually haven’t come to the sub-continent and won anything of repute. Teams like Australia travel very well. They prepare well. They perform well. South Africa also prepares. They put in good performances. But England, I still feel, treats sub-continental tours just as a tick box. Has the time come for England to really dig in and think about it?”
Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after he was dropped for the third Test. His decision to retire was controversial and it didn’t help as the Aussies ended up winning the series.