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Former England captain Nasser Hussain expressed his disappointment with the English team's on-field performance, particularly their missed chances, during the third Ashes Test against Australia.
On the opening day of the Test, England struggled with dropped catches, including those behind the stumps by Jonny Bairstow, which allowed Steve Smith and Travis Head to continue their innings.
Joe Root also missed a catch on Mitchell Marsh, who went on to score 118 runs in the match. Hussain compared the impact of dropping catches to a ‘virus’ that spreads through the team.
Speaking to Sky Sports Cricket, Hussain stated, ‘It's like a virus, it spreads through the team. I'm not just talking about in a day, it's in a series - you lose it, you get hard hands.’
He further highlighted the importance of having soft hands like renowned catchers Mark Waugh and Nick Knight.
According to Hussain, the wasted opportunities have significantly influenced the series score. He expressed frustration at the team's mindset during fielding, explaining, ‘You're thinking 'don't come to me, don't come to me', when in the field you should be wanting every ball to come to you.’
Hussain pointed out that England's mistakes in the game have contributed to their 2-0 deficit in the series.