Mark Waugh slams Alastair Cook for hiding behind excuses after England's shambolic performance vs India

Former Australia batsman Mark Waugh has expressed his shock over Alastair Cook‘s recent comments in which he came up with a bizarre reason behind England’s woeful performance in the ongoing Test series against India.

Many believed that the current England side has got what it takes to end India’s unbeaten run in Tests at home. England arrived in India without suffering a single series loss in Tests since Ben Stokes took charge of the team in 2022. The tourists started the series on a brilliant note by registering a famous 28-run win over their fancied hosts in the first Test Test in Hyderabad.

However, India have thoroughly outplayed England since then. Since the win in Hyderabad, England’s performance has gradually declined in the series. They lost the second Test by 106 runs before suffering an embarrassing 434-run defeat in the third Test.

In the fourth Test, they suffered a 5-wicket loss as India took an unassailable 3-1 lead. And while England have suffered severe criticism from several quarters for their performance, Alastair Cook defended Ben Stokes and his teammates. 

“There’s a little of the human element that comes into it. We are sitting here away from the emotions of the game. We are sitting here at home watching the telly. I am not defending England but they have been away for getting on eight weeks. It’s a tough tour they’re not robots,” Cook said on TNT Sports.

“I am not defending their performance but there is a human element. I would want them to get home to get out of the pressure. We sit here, having cups of coffee, watching them getting beaten heavily by India, but human element of a player now going through the next couple of days is going to be incredibly tough.

“Sometimes their mind wonder when you are playing in a dead rubber. You also can’t call it a dead rubber when you are playing for England. But when you have thrown everything in the series come up short like that.

“They did pretty well in the first few Test matches, make it more competitive than anyone I think honestly said in the first four Test matches. It is a tough place to be,” he added.

Mark Waugh reacts to Alastair Cook’s comments:

Mark Waugh shared his views on Alastair Cook’s comments on Saturday (March 9) and made it clear that he was not at all impressed with it. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Australia great stated that he was in disbelief with Cook’s comments as he wrote:

“I can’t believe I’m hearing this from Alistair Cook. As an international cricketer, this is what you train for and get paid for. This is one of the best tours as an international cricketer you can go on.”

I can’t believe I’m hearing this from Alistair Cook. As a international cricketer this is what you train for and get paid for. This is a one of the best tours as a international cricketer you can go on.

— Mark Waugh (@juniorwaugh349) March 8, 2024

Meanwhile, England are staring down the barrel in the ongoing fifth Test as well. They were bowled out for just 218 runs in their first innings before India piled up 477 runs to take a big lead of 259 runs.