New Delhi, Jan 8 (IANS) Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has bashed the English side, saying that a team ‘with brain isn’t good enough to compete’ against either Australia or India. His comments have come after England’s dismal performance in their 1-4 Ashes drubbing on Thursday at the Sydney Cricket Ground as they lost the fifth and final Test of the series by five wickets.

After the loss, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould stated that a ‘thorough review’ has already been underway after England’s 4-1 Ashes defeat.

Taking a dig at the side, Pietersen said that he will help the board in the investigation ‘for free’, as he wrote on X, “I’ll help with the thorough investigation that the ECB are going to conduct, right here, for free. Apart from Stokes, Root, Archer, Bethell & Brook WITH a brain, the team isn’t good enough to compete with Aus or India. It’s proven just on this tour with Aus missing most of their best players. All the pre-tour game chat, discipline chat, and now investigations are mere distractions. It’s very simple, as I’ve stated above.”

While England looked confident heading into the Ashes, they suffered consecutive defeats in the first three Tests at Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide, thereby claiming the urn inside just 11 days.

While England clinched a win in the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the hosts completed a dominant 4–1 victory with a five-wicket victory in the fifth Test at the SCG, successfully chasing a target of 160 on a challenging final-day pitch.

Australia’s chase began briskly, led by Travis Head, as a 62-run opening stand laid a strong platform. England, however, remained competitive, creating drama through tight bowling, wasted reviews, and near misses, including a contentious caught-behind decision. Josh Tongue removed both openers before lunch, and after the break, England struck again as Will Jacks bowled Steve Smith and Australia suffered a cluster of quick wickets, raising hopes of a comeback.

Despite late jitters, Cameron Green and Alex Carey steadied the innings with a crucial 40-run partnership. Carey’s boundary in the 32nd over sealed the win, completing Australia’s remarkable series triumph.

–IANS

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