Charu Sharma says England “almost look bored” when they play cricket overseas, calling their lack of enthusiasm on away tours the critical issue the new Fleming-Root era must fix.
The veteran Indian broadcaster used the word “bored” to describe what he has observed watching England on overseas tours over the years. Sharma, who played first division cricket in Kolkata and has spent over two decades in sportscasting, pointed to a pattern that extends beyond results.
“The critical thing for England is to do well overseas… in the past I’ve seen that, it’s a difficult word, but they almost look bored. When they go to other nations, I think they need to show more enthusiasm when they play cricket overseas.”
Charu Sharma, YouTube interview, July 2026
The numbers support his observation. England’s away Test record under the Bazball era tells a consistent story of overseas failure. They lost the 2024 India series 4-1, the 2024-25 Pakistan series 2-1, and the 2025-26 Ashes 4-1.
The only overseas Test series win under Brendon McCullum came in Pakistan in 2022, a 3-0 sweep. Against India and Australia away from home, England’s win percentage under Bazball was half of what they managed against other World Test Championship teams, according to ESPN.
At home, the decline reached a breaking point in June 2026. New Zealand beat England 2-1 in a three-Test series, a result that led Alastair Cook to say England cricket feels like a mess.
Ben Stokes retired from international cricket on 29 June, saying the extra responsibilities of captaincy had become “mentally tiring.” McCullum was removed as England’s Test coach on 12 July after a post-series ECB review, a decision Michael Vaughan said exposed the ECB’s lack of contingency planning.
Fleming and Root Inherit England’s Overseas Problem
The ECB appointed Stephen Fleming as the new Test coach with Joe Root returning as captain on 30 July 2026. Fleming signed a four-year deal running until September 2030 after 18 years with Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and a playing career of 111 Tests as New Zealand’s most successful captain.
Fleming’s appointment is directly relevant to Sharma’s criticism. England’s next overseas assignments include tours to South Africa and Australia in the 2026-27 cycle. The question Sharma raises, whether England’s players genuinely want to compete away from home, is the first question Fleming must answer before tactics, selections, or systems matter.
Steve Harmison has already called the coaching situation a mess, while Stuart Broad raised questions about the ECB’s test coach succession process.
England won nine and lost eight of their 17 Tests in 2024. They were beaten by more than 400 runs twice in a single calendar year, a feat no other team managed. The 2025 home series against India ended 2-2, with India winning at Edgbaston by 336 runs, their biggest ever overseas win by runs at the time, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
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You see it in the field first. A mid-on standing two yards deeper than he needs to, hands on hips between deliveries, no words to the bowler running past him.
On overseas tours where conditions turn hostile, the team that stops talking in the field has already lost the session. Senior players who mentally switch off at slip or gully set the tone for the rest. That energy, or the absence of it, is what Sharma is identifying.
Sharma’s observation carries weight because it identifies something results alone do not capture. England have lost overseas tours before and rebuilt. What separates recoverable failure from structural decline is whether the players on the plane want to be there.
Fleming’s first task is not a new batting order or a bowling plan for South Africa. It is making England’s players care about winning away from home as much as they care about performing at Lord’s.
Sources:
- Charu Sharma, YouTube, July 2026
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