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Dubai: Graeme Swann refuses to accept England coach Andy Flower’s claim that the 0-3 Test series defeat to Pakistan was in large part due to the fact the side arrived in the UAE underprepared after taking an extended two-month winter break.
After the No. 1 Test side in the world were humbled by an impressive Pakistan, Flower suggested that giving his players two months off from the game ultimately left them undercooked.
“I don’t think our commitment and our hunger to win has been down,” Flower said immediately after the end of the third Test.
“But [we spent a] couple of months out of the game and not doing a lot while Pakistan were beating Sri Lanka and working hard to beat Bangladesh and that hardened them up for this contest.”
However, Swann, writing in a national newspaper column, insists that England’s failure was simply a result of failing to deal with playing spin in Asia. “I believe we have the right personnel, it is just a matter of confidence,” Swann wrote.
“I don’t accept that spending some rare time at home in November and December contributed to our loss here.
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