'They seem to think entertainment is more important than winning' - Geoff Boycott lashes out at England's approach after Edgbaston defeat

Following England's narrow defeat against Australia in the Ashes opener at Edgbaston, former England skipper Geoffrey Boycott reserved strong words for Ben Stokes' wounded side. The former English cricketer reckoned that the English team got carried away with their approach in Birmingham, prioritizing entertainment over winning the match. 

The former England skipper went hard on England's 'Bazball' approach in the Test series opener, claiming winning the Ashes is more important than entertaining the crowd and not the other way around. While he acknowledged England's domineering brand of cricket, defeating Australia takes priority over everything else, according to the iconic cricketer.

"England are in danger of reducing the Ashes to an exhibition. England have got carried away with Bazball and seem to think entertaining is more important than winning. But England supporters want one thing more than anything else -- to win the Ashes.

Scoring fast runs, whacking lots of fours and sixes is lovely. It is great. But only if England do not lose sight of the big prize which is to beat Australia. If at the end of the series Australia go home with the Ashes we will feel sick, regardless of how much we have been entertained," Boycott wrote in a strong-worded column for 'The Telegraph'.

They do not have to change being positive because they are a better side than Australia: Boycott

Boycott further elaborated his point, stating that the Ashes will lose its significance if England do not play for the win, reducing it to exhibition matches to entertain the crowd. Although the former skipper is not against the idea of England's swashbuckling approach, he called for a bit of common sense from the Three Lions.

"If England are not playing to win then these Ashes Tests are not that important. They are only exhibition matches. They have got it back to front. It is not about entertaining and then winning. It is about winning first. England need a bit of common sense and pragmatism. That is all that is required. They do not have to change being positive because they are a better side than Australia and will win if they just show that common sense," he added.