Changes are needed in the wake of England’s defeats in the Caribbean, but this is not the time for knee-jerk reactions
England have won eight of their past 11 Tests. They have also won eight of their past 19. They are not as good as they thought they were after victory in Sri Lanka; they are not as bad as we think they are now. By demanding an instant fix to a complicated problem, many modern fans are demonstrating the same aversion to nuance and patience that they deplore in England’s batsmen. It’s important not to overreact, but nor should England under-react. Their top-order batting was in crisis even when they were hammering India and Sri Lanka last year, and all ideas should be discussed in an attempt to address it. Those ideas should all stay on the table until after the World Cup, England’s biggest priority this year, and the Ashes, which they should still win if the pitches are slow seamers. This summer will be the end of two important cycles, and of Trevor Bayliss’s time as coach. Then, not now, is the time to make major changes.
Related: Lack of top order leaves England at sixes and sevens in West Indies | Vic Marks
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