England successfully completed their highest-ever Test run chase of 378 runs in the fifth Test against India at Edgbaston on Tuesday, and much credit has been given to the team’s new philosophy that the British media has termed ‘BazBall.’
After a string of poor displays over the course of the last year, England now seem to be on the right path under the tutelage of Test coach Brendon McCullum and new skipper Ben Stokes. The duo seem to have redefined how Test cricket can be played and are now questioning the conventional norms that were attached to the longest format of the game.
What is 'BazBall'?
‘BazBall’ is nothing but the attacking brand of cricket that England have displayed over the course of the last few months. It derives its name from England’s Kiwi head coach Brendon McCullum, who is nicknamed 'Baz'. McCullum was known for his successful attacking style of batting in Tests that brought him many laurels and made him the fourth-highest run scorer for New Zealand in the format.
The 40-year-old, who was appointed England’s Test coach in May 2022, seems to have incorporated his own mentality into the England unit, who were in dire need of a fresh start.
Prior to his arrival, England had won just one game out of 17 Tests and were staring down the barrel. Worst of all was the 4-0 Ashes defeat against arch-rivals Australia last year. The team had hit rock bottom, and many changes were initiated which saw not just McCullum’s arrival, but also a change in captaincy. All-rounder Ben Stokes replaced Joe Root at the helm and, thus, started the reign of the Stokes-McCullum regime.
The pair’s first assignment was against World Test Championship (WTC) winners New Zealand at home last month. England looked like a completely different unit under the new change of guard and played a fearless, bold style of cricket from the word get-go. The side successfully chased down targets in all three Test matches against the Kiwis and recorded a dominating 3-0 series win.
This new cricketing approach by England under McCullum and Stokes soon made a buzz in the cricketing fraternity, especially among commentators, pundits, and social media, finally being given the name ‘BazBall.’
However, it is early days to comment on the ‘BazBall’ philosophy, as cricket is also a game of failures. Team India itself is an example of this. The Indian side was one of the most dominating units in the last few years and were ranked No 1 until a while ago. However, of late, they seemed to have lost their mojo. They had a disappointing away tour of South Africa last January, losing 2-1, and most recently against England, who, on the other hand, have tasted success with their new ‘BazBall’ style.
Dravid Shares His Insights on ‘Bazball’
Meanwhile, current Indian head coach Rahul Dravid shared his insights about 'Bazball' in the press conference following his side’s loss to England. "I don't know what it is. The cricket they played for four Tests, chasing like this in fourth innings doesn't happen often in this country but the brand of cricket you play depends on players and their form. You can play positive (cricket) when you have form players," Dravid said.
Team India have now lost its last three overseas Test matches -- two in South Africa and one in England under Dravid’s guidance.
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