Not happy with England's approach in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 series against Australia, former captain Michael Vaughan has asked Joe Root & Co stop being "nice" and "get nasty". (More Cricket News)
England suffered humiliating defeats in the first two Tests -- by nine wickets in the tour opener at the Gabba and by 275 runs in the next outing at Adelaide Oval. The visitors need to win the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground to keep the five-match series alive.
"It's too nice," Vaughan said on Fox Cricket's Follow-On podcast. "I see on the morning of the game they are all talking to Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon. I never had a conversation with Steve Waugh back in the day. I wouldn't have dared go and speak to Glenn McGrath on the morning of the game or Shane Warne. You just didn't."
In fact, the 2021-22 series got off to a dramatic start with a first-ball wicket after Root won the toss and elected to bat first. Rory Burns lost his leg stump to a Starc swinging delivery, bowled behind his legs. And it was the beginning of yet another England capitulation.
England have not won a Test in Australia in the last 12 matches, losing 11 of those. Their last win was way back in 2011, by an innings and 83 runs under Andrew Strauss.
"It's all a bit friendly. I'd get nasty with them… They somehow need to find that on day one. Get into the scrap. Chirp, do whatever, just get into the scrap," Vaughan added.
England did get a start in the second Test though, with Stuart Broad dismissing out of form Marcus Harris in the eighth over after Australia opted to bat first. But they still ended up losing the match.
"They are at that stage now where they have to change something," the 47-year-old added, urging England to get nasty. "It might be that they all get nasty, get nasty with each other. They all fall out. Who cares, but then come out and show a bit of spirit I actually want to see a bit of mongrel in the England side."
The third Test match starts on December 26. It will be followed by matches in Sydney (January 5 to 9) and Hobart (January 14 to 18).
Vaughan led England to 26 wins in 51 Tests, including the 2005 Ashes (2-1 at home). He scored 5719 runs in 82 Tests.
