ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 09: Joe Root of England walks onto the ground at the conclusion of the tea break during day two of the Four Day Tour match between the Cricket Australia XI and England at Adelaide Oval on November 9, 2017 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
Former English off-spinner Graeme Swann has slammed captain Joe Root's decision to bat first on Day 1 of the Ashes at the Gabba.
After winning the toss and electing to bat England's top order was made light work of. Rory Burns was dismissed first ball of the series, while Dawid Malan and Root were quick to follow.
Root was out for a duck and the wheels fell off from there. England slumped to 147 all out thanks to some classy hitting from Jos Buttler and a stubborn innings from Ollie Pope.
Swann wasn't pleased in the slightest with his compatriot's efforts labelling the team a joke.
"What a joke we are, what a joke!" Swann told SENZ Breakfast.
England's number one spinner from when the Three Lions last lifted the urn on Australian soil said that Australia's team wasn't much better than Englands, which added shame to the opening day performance.
“I've been dreading this day because this Australia team is pants, and we all know it," Swann added.
"It's as bad an Australian team as there has been for 20 years.
“And we are equally as bad, apart from Rooty (Joe Root) and (Ben) Stokes, and Jimmy (Anderson) and Broady (Stuart Broad). We left two of them out, one through injury.
“Honestly, our top six wouldn't get in most county sides 10 years ago.
“It's just a joke.
“I’m a proper optimist, but this is terrible. What a joke of a decision (to bat first).”