'Can't remember a worse touring squad than England in last 20 years'- Ed Cowan slams team for showing no fight in Ashes

Former Australia opening batter Ed Cowan has come down hard on Joe Root-led England side. The visitors have lost both the Test matches in Brisbane and Adelaide in the ongoing Ashes series. England have struggled to even compete against a dominant Australian side. Cowan believes the current Root-led side are the worst touring team in the last 20 years.

Cowan further opined the Ashes series Down Under is no longer competitive. Since clinching the Ashes in Australia in 2010-11, the visitors have lost 11 out of the 12 Test matches played in the country. "It is fair to say I genuinely can't remember a worse touring squad in the last 20 years. Maybe the West Indies in the mid-2000s when they had that awkward transition. But this could be a huge blowout," Cowan told The ABC Grandstand Cricket podcast.

The former Australia opener further opined that the Ashes in Australia have offered no contest which is very sad for the fans. Australia have hardly broken a sweat in the ongoing Ashes series. They have been ruthless with the bat and ball and have not given England a sniff.

"It kind of makes you sad because Test cricket needs great contests. It needs a strong England. It needs a strong Australia and it needs strong Ashes. We are not really seeing that at all.

"England have won two Ashes Tests in Australia in the last 15 years. And beating the c**p out of them isn't fun. It is not good for the game. I feel sorry for them. I'm actually starting to feel sorry for the touring team," he added.

England needs to bounce back in the Boxing Day Test match to stay alive in the Ashes series. Coach Chris Silverwood has backed the team to turn a corner in the remaining three Test matches.