Reasons for England's humiliating display at Ashes 2017-2018

With a Test still to be played, the outcome for the Ashes 2017-2018 is already in Australia's favour. The baggy green kangaroos have clinched test cricket's most coveted trophy, with an unassailable lead of 3-0. With England still to win a test match on this Ashes tour, let's take a look on the factors leading them to a series loss.

1. Root's Inexperience as a Captain

I must say, Joe Root has failed badly to lead his side from the front on this particular tour. He has failed both as a captain and with the bat as well. Steve Smith has completely outplayed him, be it in terms of batting or leading the side. Even the likes of Alastair Cook can't help him. To be very precise, Root will take many lessons from this tour when he boards the returning flight for UK.

2. England's Poor Batting Display

A flaccid batting display

Right from the starting of this tour, England's batting line-up has failed horrendously to click as a unit. With the likes of players like Cook, Root, Ali they failed to display the zeal they have showed in the past. The two most reputed batsman of modern era's test cricket - Root & Cook - were the main pillars of England's batting unit but they failed to perform up to the expectations.

Though Cook is the 3rd leading scorer with 327 runs in 7 innings in this series, one must know that out of his 327 runs, 244* came in the 4th test match at Melbourne which ended in a draw. Further, as far as Joe Root is concerned in 7 innings on this tour, he has 237 runs with 3 fifties in his bag, which surely doesn't justify his stature.

3. Australia's Powerful Bowling Display

The bowlers led from the front

The power packed performances of Aussie bowlers in this series are one of the major differences between the two teams. Be it Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood or Lyon, everyone of them have used the conditions in a superb manner as compared to British bowlers. Specially Starc - he has clinched 19 wickets in this series in only 3 matches and is the leading wicket tacker. Further, as far as England is concerned, only Anderson has been able to perform up to the mark with 16 wickets in his bag and is the top performer for England, 4th overall in this series.

4. Smith's Power Packed Performances

Steve Smith is the main protagonist in Australia's dominance of the present Ashes series. He has led his side from the front. His splendid batting display in the year 2017 has been the talk of the town.

Every time in the series England bowlers started building pressure, Smith denied them with aplomb. With 604 runs in 6 innings at an astonishing average of 151.00 - 3 tons (including a double hundred) in the process - he has ruled the cricketing charts. He became the first Aussie skipper and only the 2nd batsman after the great Sir Don Bradman to score 3 or more centuries in Ashes.

In the 11 test matches he played in 2017, he scored 1305 runs in 20 innings at a splendid average of 76.76 which includes 6 centuries and 3 fifties. He is the 3rd quickest to 23 test tons behind "Bradman" and "Sunil Gavaskar".