Paul Collingwood has launched a passionate defence of England 's battered Ashes tourists, insisting players and management deserve medals - not criticism - for travelling Down Under in the first place.
The former Ashes winner, currently coaching the T20 squad, says a gruelling international schedule, hellish Covid quarantine and little or no preparation left Joe Root’s men "sitting ducks".
And he maintained that he witnessed on more than one occasion normally stable cricketers in the England camp pushed close to the edge on a tour that was "one step too far".
Collingwood insisted he felt compelled to present another side to the story after seeing Root and coach Chris Silverwood pilloried for their roles in the latest Ashes humiliation.
He accepts mistakes were made both in selection and tactics but believes Root’s men, especially those tasked with playing in the World T20 in October as well, faced an impossible task.
"Yes, we made mistakes, 100 per cent we made selection mistakes and we made toss mistakes," he said. "But the fact we actually turned up and agreed a five-match Ashes series, the guys should be given medals for that, not criticism.
"It would have been much better if we’d done two matches and then three next year. That would've been a great compromise.
"But no, Australia were not bothered that they were going to receive an England team who were mentally fatigued, they just wanted to get the product out there.
"They wanted the Ashes but we were sitting ducks."
With the five-Test series worth £107million to Cricket Australia Collingwood accepts there were compelling reasons to keep the show on the road.
But he believes the model of Covid bubble life on the international cricket circuit is simply unsustainable and could lead to careers cut short or worse.
"You can't even explain what it's like until you experience it," he said.
"You cannot walk out of your front door and as soon as you're told that you can't do something as simple as go for a coffee, and you are penned in with the same guys – it hits you.
"Take someone like Chris Woakes who is the most loveable and down-to-earth guy. I have seen him in some serious mental states.
"We have seen Ben Stokes, someone we consider to be the most mentally tough cricketer in the world, be hit by this.
"I just hope there are no ramifications moving forward because when they come, they won't be obvious next week or the week after. These are things that might come out down the line. That's what scares me."
Players who played in the World T20 and the Ashes – Woakes, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan and Mark Wood – were in bubbles since October 2.
Restrictions on movement were particularly hardline at the WorldT20 where England lost out in the semi-final stage to eventual runners up New Zealand.
Collingwood believes international cricket could be in long term trouble if bubbles remain with players opting out and careers shortened.
"I just hope the administrators don't keep pressing for them trying to protect matches because we also have to protect the mental health of the players and management,” he said.
"We’ve kept the show on the road for the last two years to preserve people’s jobs and saved a lot doing that. But the Ashes was one step too far."
