Shane Warne believes England batsman Ravi Bopara will flop in the forthcoming Ashes series because he is more concerned with style than substance.
Bopara is likely to be included in the England team that faces Ricky Ponting’s Australia in the first Test in Cardiff on July 8 after an impressive start to his international career.
The Essex star scored three consecutive centuries against West Indies earlier this year, but former Australia spinner Warne, who took more than 700 Test wickets, accused Bopara of putting spectacular shots ahead of building a long innings.
“Bopara is a good first-class cricketer, but he is not an international cricketer,” Warne told the Daily Mirror.
“I think he’s got all the talent in the world, but I just don’t think he’s got the temperament. He can be put off his game too easily and he’s too worried about how he looks.
“Let’s hope England aren’t relying on Bopara (for the Ashes) because they could be in trouble.”
Warne had already criticised Paul Collingwood’s England captaincy during the Twenty20 World Cup, but he did have praise for two English stars. The spinner believes Kevin Pietersen and Test skipper Andrew Strauss are the men who can win the Ashes for England.
“Paul Collingwood can be good, but he has to be batting with someone like Kevin Pietersen to bring the best out of him,” Warne said.
“For England to succeed they will have to bat around Pietersen and the captain (Andrew Strauss).”
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