England legend Atherton labels Australia "homesick travellers" ahead of Ashes

17 February 2023 , 12:28

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Former England captain Michael Atherton has aimed a dig at Australia (Image: Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Former England captain Michael Atherton has branded Australia "homesick travellers", following comments from several players comparing an Ashes win in England to beating India in India.

Australia are currently touring India for a four Test series ahead of a trip to England to defend the Ashes later this summer. And, speaking ahead of their tour of India, captain Pat Cummins said: "Winning a series in India is like an Ashes away series [win] but even more rare."

Former skipper Steve Smith added: "I think if you win in India, it is bigger than an Ashes series [win]". While opener David Warner stated: "Being a part of the last Ashes was fantastic but to go to India and beat India in India is the toughest challenge in Test cricket for us."

However, after Australia were thrashed by an innings and 132 runs in the first Test in Nagpur, Atherton pointed their recent struggles overseas and highlighted the fact that not a single member of the current side has beaten either England or India in their own backyard.

He wrote in the Times: "These comments prompt the question: how would they know? After all, it has been a generation or two since Australia's cricketers left England’s shores as winners.

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"For sure, they retained the Ashes here in 2019 — a 2-2 draw was enough to keep the urn — but winning has eluded them since the glory days of 2001, when they brought an indisputably great team full of names for the ages such as Shane Warne, Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Glenn McGrath. Since then, nothing.

Australia have not won a Test series in England since 2001 or in India since 2004 (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

"Mind you, they don’t know what it is like to win in India, either, where they have fared even worse. In the past two decades, Australia have won three Tests in India and lost 12; they have won one Test there since the beginning of 2005.

"Australian batsmen have often given the impression of being homesick travellers, happiest against Kookaburra balls on flat pitches, and far less certain when conditions offer swing, seam or spin.

"To a greater or lesser degree, all cricketers are products of their environment, which means a moving ball is like kryptonite to Australian batsmen, reared on hard pitches where they can play early and hit through the line of the ball with freedom."

Matthew Cooper