"If we don't do that then Test cricket might not survive" - Paul Collingwood on Bazball entertaining fans

England men's team assistant coach Paul Collingwood said that Test cricket might not survive without the application of the Bazball approach.

England have undergone a revolution in red-ball cricket since head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes took over the charge in June last year.

The team has adopted a new brand of ultra-aggressive cricket, where they intend to score runs briskly and pick all 20 wickets. The most important thing is to force a result even though it involves the risk of a loss.

The approach has been dubbed as 'Bazball' in the media, and it has helped England win 11 out of 13 Tests over the last year.

England boldly declared their first innings at 393/8 on the Day 1 of the ongoing first Ashes Test against Australia in Birmingham, despite Joe Root being unbeaten at 118. This was the ninth-shortest declaration of the first innings in Test cricket history.

Speaking to reporters at the end of Day 2, Paul Collingwood explained how Bazball can help Test cricket to survive in the long run. The 2010 T20 World Cup-winning captain said:

"I have said right from the start that we are trying to make Test cricket a lot more entertaining. If we don't do that then Test cricket might not survive."

He added:

"Our vision as a Test team is far great than results. Australia can go about the way they want to go about it. We will stick to our plans. We are happy how we've gone about it in the first two days."

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ENG vs AUS: 1st Test: Australia trail by 82 runs at the end of Day 2

England pacer Stuart Broad dismissed David Warner and Marnus Labuschagne on successive balls in the first hour of the second day to deal the visitors early blows.

Ben Stokes added to Australia's woes with the huge wicket of Steve Smith, trapping him straight in front of the wickets.

It was the resistance from opener Usman Khawaja that led the fightback for Australia in the first innings. The left-handed batter had a conventional approach against England's short-ball ploy.

Another thrilling day 🍿
This series, you just can't look away 👇
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Khawaja hit 14 fours and a couple of sixes en route to his maiden Test hundred in England. He was ably supported by Australia's middle order batters with three crucial fifty-plus stands, including the unbroken 91-run partnership with Alex Carey (52). Australia closed the second day at 311/5, 82 runs behind England's first innings total.