Darren Gough has backed England to reach the semifinals of the ICC Champions Trophy despite their recent poor form and lack of preparation
Despite England ‘s recent struggles and their preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy being far from ideal, former cricketer Darren Gough has backed Jos Buttler’ s team to make it to the semifinals.
“I’m backing them to make the semis,” Gough, a new Ladbrokes ambassador, said after a difficult run during England’s tour of India, where the Three Lions were whitewashed in the three-match ODI series. While England were outplayed by India, Gough remains optimistic about their chances in the upcoming Champions Trophy.
“Preparation hasn’t been ideal; coming up against the best team in the world and getting thrashed,” he admitted, but his faith in the squad’s ability to turn things around hasn’t wavered. Looking ahead to Group B of the tournament, where England will face Afghanistan, Australia, and South Africa, Gough sees them having enough strength to reach the semi-finals.
“Afghanistan are the team I’ve tipped to be the surprise package in this tournament, and they’re in the better of the two groups for their own chances of progressing to the semi-finals,” he added. “So, I’m going to go with Afghanistan to go through, alongside England – purely because they’re my team.”
He pointed to the quality of the squad, which he believes will help them overcome the challenges they face: “There’s people like Liam Dawson who could have come in and done a job, but let’s see what happens. Look, England can surprise teams, they’ve got good, quality players.”
However, Gough’s positive prediction doesn’t ignore the concerns surrounding England’s squad. The team, led by Buttler and coached by Brendon McCullum, has shown signs of uncertainty, particularly with their game plan and performance in 50-over cricket.
“They [England] are in disarray at the moment, they haven’t really got a game plan,” Gough said, emphasising the need for the squad to find clarity and cohesion.
In his analysis of the team, Gough noted the importance of England’s key players but acknowledged that they need to step up in the absence of a clear strategy. “We’ve got Adil Rashid, who is right up there as one of the top three bowlers in the world for me. But someone needs to come in and back him up,” he explained.
Gough isn’t a stranger to the squad’s recent struggles but remains hopeful that with the talent available, England can still perform when it matters most. “Look, England can surprise teams.”
