‘Angry’ Stuart Broad publicly lectures England pacer after Ashes humiliation

Former England bowler Stuart Broad has criticized Gus Atkinson for his disappointing performances in the Ashes, where the visitors are 1-3 down against Australia. The cricketer-turned-commentator said Atkinson had a natural ability with the ball, but his body language was not that of a Test match bowler.

Atkinson was expected to be a key part of England’s Ashes plans. However, his series did not go as hoped, as he took only six wickets in three Tests at an average of 47.33 and a strike rate of 73. He suffered a hamstring injury during the fourth Test in Melbourne, which ruled him out of the series finale.

His body language is not that of a Test Match bowler – Stuart Broad slams Gus Atkinson

Stuart Broad said Gus Atkinson has the skills to succeed, including movement and consistency. However, Broad felt Atkinson needed to improve his body language and show more leadership when leading the offense in tough times.

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“Atkinson has incredible attributes,” Stuart Broad told Sky Sports. “He still averages under 25 with the ball, he shakes the seam, he can swing it, he’s big, he’s consistent, but his body language is not that of a Test match bowler in the battle. He had some work to do on that.”

“It doesn’t matter so much when you’re playing teams you should dominate and beat, but not against top teams, so his areas of improvement are not attributes or mental ability to deal with pressure, but letting your team know that you lead this group,” he added.

Your opposition can’t feel like they’re picking on you – Stuart Broad

Stuart Broad says Gus Atkinson must not let hitters feel above him. He said body language plays an important role, especially when things aren’t going well.

“I read an article about Tiger Woods, who never looked at the ground when he played golf. His eyes were always above the horizon, which is very strong for body language,” Broad continued.

“When I was under pressure or in difficulty, I kept my eyes above the horizon because then no one could tell if I had played a good ball or a bad ball. You are constantly in the battle and your opponent cannot feel like they are getting the better of you.”

England Trail 1-3 in Ashes Series vs Australia

England lost the Ashes series against Australia in just 11 days. The Ben Stokes-led side were beaten in the first three Tests as they struggled to compete for long periods.

There was some relief for England in the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The match was over in two days and attracted much criticism regarding the pitch, which offered a lot of help to the fast bowlers. As many as 36 wickets fell in the first two days.

Australia were bowled out for 152 in their first innings and 132 in their second. England responded with scores of 110 and 178 for 6, chasing down the target to win by four wickets.

The victory helped England end an 18-match losing streak in Australia and marked their first Test victory Down Under in almost 15 years. However, Australia still leads the five-match Ashes series 3-1.

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