England’s hopes of a flawless summer were dashed after an eight-wicket loss to Sri Lanka in the third Test at The Kia Oval. Joe Root, one of the team’s key players, admitted that England didn’t play their best cricket but drew an unusual comparison, saying, “Coldplay can’t be number one every week.”
The defeat marked England’s first major setback since Brendon McCullum took over as head coach, ending their chance to complete a 100% home record for the first time in two decades.
“We’re not always going to get it right all of the time,” Root told Test Match Special. “For 90% of the summer, we have. We have shown what a good team we can be.”
Despite the stumble, England can still take pride in their overall performance this season. They secured five wins out of six Tests, clinching series victories over both West Indies (3-0) and Sri Lanka (2-1). Yet their performance at The Oval was particularly lackluster, allowing a hungry Sri Lankan side to claim their first win over England in 11 attempts.
In the match, England collapsed from 261-3 to 325 all out in the first innings and managed only 156 runs in the second, leaving Sri Lanka a manageable target of 219. Sri Lankan opener Pathum Nissanka’s brilliant unbeaten 127 led his side to victory on the fourth morning, marking only Sri Lanka’s fourth Test win on English soil.
Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook criticized the team for showing signs of complacency, while Michael Vaughan, another ex-skipper, warned them against “taking the mickey out of Test cricket.”
However, stand-in captain Ollie Pope dismissed claims of a lack of hunger, stating, “I wouldn’t say it’s a lack of an edge or not really having that desire to go and put together a massive score. It can just happen in cricket.”
Pope, who took over captaincy in the absence of Ben Stokes, reflected on his leadership experience, saying he loved “every bit” of the role. However, he is ready to step aside once Stokes recovers from a hamstring injury sustained during The Hundred tournament last month. Stokes is expected to return for England’s tour of Pakistan in October.
The series, originally scheduled to be played in Karachi, Multan, and Rawalpindi, is facing potential venue changes due to renovation work at Karachi. However, recent reports suggest that the matches will remain in Pakistan, with alternative venues to be confirmed soon.
