"You should be whacking it"- Andrew Strauss defends England's 'Bazball' approach
Former England captain Andrew Strauss feels the 'Bazball' approach used by England in Test cricket is not as risky as the cricketing fraternity deems it to be. There has been a lot of debate about whether the brand of cricket played under the captaincy of Ben Stokes and the coaching of Brendon McCullum is against the nature of Test cricket.
However, Strauss feels it is just the mindset that is holding people back from embracing this ultra-attacking brand of cricket. He reckons that the player have the skills sets in the modern game to play at a higher tempo than usual.
Speaking to The Telegraph, here's what Andrew Strauss had to say about the 'Bazball' approach:
"What they’ve done is no mean feat. They have converted the players to a radical approach. On the surface, it’s a much higher risk. In truth, I don’t think it is. The reason it’s so confronting to people is because there have been these self-limiting conventions in Test cricket for over 150 years. But with the skills the players have now, and with a flat pitch and tired bowlers, you should be whacking it. The odds are in your favour.”
Andrew Strauss on importance of brand of cricket
Andrew Strauss stressed how important it was to not just think about the result of the game but also to focus on how the game is being played and whether the fans are entertained.
On this, he stated:
"When I was playing, I thought it was only about winning. But over time, I’ve come to realize that it’s also about how you play. Supporters want to see teams have a go, playing beautiful rugby or football or cricket, doing things that are innovative and different. It’s exciting, you don’t know how it’s going to play out. If you can combine that with winning, it’s truly a magical formula."
Strauss had been a part of the England and Wales Cricket Board in the past and had been one of the pioneers of their white-ball revolution after the 2015 World Cup debacle.