Ashes 2021-22 | Hard to see Joe Root remain captain if the tour continues to go this badly, feels Michael Atherton

Australia are leading the Ashes 2021-22 by 2-0 with their recent 275-run win at the Adelaide Oval. They have been a dominating side in the series and have completely outclassed their opponents, having earlier taken the series opener in Brisbane by nine wickets. As for England, their batting has collapsed at crucial junctures, while the bowling unit has largely been ineffective. They are now staring at a third consecutive Ashes series defeat Down Under, having lost 5-0 in 2013-14 and 4-0 in 2017-18. 

England’s team selection has been criticized heavily after their loss in Adelaide, especially on the bowling front. The tourists benched the experienced James Anderson and Stuart Broad for the first Test and Jack Leach, the lone spinner preferred, went for 102 in his 13 overs with a lone wicket. He was sidelined for the pink-ball Test, and the conditions suggested that England did miss a specialist spinner.

"As the head coach and main selector, he has to shoulder along with Joe Root. There have been a rash of poor decisions so far - selection, mainly - for which he now has the final call. For the past 12 months, lots of selections have been suspect; the move to invest responsibility for selection with the head coach was always a bad one,” he remarked.

The third Test of the series will start from December 26 in Melbourne. Atherton has suggested some changes for the Boxing Day Test, voicing for Mark Wood and Jack Leach's inclusion.

Atherton also took a dig at the ECB and said that the pitches are poor and the standard of first-class cricket is poor in the country. 

"The County Championship has been hollowed out by the decision to play the T20 Blast and the Hundred in the main summer months, thus relegating the championship to the margins of the season. Pitches are poor, the standard of first-class cricket is poor,” he said.