Who said what - Top 5 expert reactions on Bazball after India's big win over England in 3rd Test ft. Michael Vaughan
India registered a massive 434-run victory over England in the third Test in Rajkot. The hosts now lead the five-match series 2-1. The next Test will be played in Ranchi and will start on February 23.
A lot has been said about Bazball during the ongoing series. England have definitely made Test cricket more entertaining by playing an expansive brand of cricket. However, it doesn't always bear fruit, as seen in the defeat in Rajkot.
In this article, we will look at the top five expert reactions on Bazball after India's big win over England in the third Test.
#1 "As if no player in history has ever played an attacking shot": Michael Vaughan
Michael Vaughan called out Ben Duckett for his remarks on how England deserve credit for the way Yashasvi Jaiswal batted in Rajkot. He also said that the visitors disrespected Test cricket when they said that they don't play for a draw.
Vaughan wrote in his column for The Telegraph:
"Duckett also reckons they deserve credit for the way Yashasvi Jaiswal is batting, as if no player in history has ever played an attacking shot. They talk about not playing for the draw, but to me that’s disrespectful to Test cricket. The draw is a crucial part of the game, and in five-Test contest has often provided the bedrock of some great series victories."
He further opined on the Three Lions' batting woes:
"They have to be careful that people around don’t think they are smug, or above their station. Root’s shot was another reminder that they are in a bubble. If England are honest, their batting has been poor on this tour."
The former English captain continued:
"They have made two of the best hundreds I have ever seen, from Ollie Pope and Duckett. Let’s not let them paper over the cracks: two incredible innings do not define a batting unit’s tour."
Michael Vaughan is a former cricketer who now works as a commentator. The former England skipper led his nation to the famous 2005 Ashes win, which was their first Test series win against Australia in 18 years.
#2 "England's batting was a letdown": Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra was critical of England's batting in the second innings of the third Test against India in Rajkot. He stated that Mark Wood's cameo gave the visitors a respectable three-digit total.
Chopra shared his opinions in a video on his YouTube channel:
"England's batting was a letdown. The way they played was extremely ordinary. (Ben) Duckett got run out. Dhruv Jurel's collection was very good. Zak Crawley would say that he was unfortunate, that he shouldn't have been given out - no problem, that's okay."
The former India opener continued:
"Ollie Pope was trying to play a cut shot and it went to hand. Joe Root was playing the sweep and the ball hit his pads. Jonny Bairstow also did the same thing. What are you doing? You are playing sweeps against Ravindra Jadeja at the pace he bowls."
He added:
"Then Ben Stokes, Ben Foakes and Rehan Ahmed. Rehan Ahmed was trying to hit a six. With what thinking have you come? Mark Wood scored 33 runs in the end or else this team wouldn't have even scored 100."
He concluded by saying that England lasted only 39.4 overs on a decent pitch:
"You couldn't bat 50 overs. You didn't play one-and-a-half sessions. We are on daily wages, take a little care of us. We only get paid for the number of days we work. This wasn't a 40-overs pitch. This was a much better surface and England actually let themselves down very badly."
Aakash Chopra played 10 Tests for India but gained more recognition after retirement through his commentary and analysis. He has been working as a YouTuber-cum-commentator for the last decade.
#3 "Bazball is not attack, attack, attack": Nasser Hussain
Nasser Hussain feels that England missed an opportunity to capitalize on Ravichandran Ashwin's absence by making Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja bowl long spells. He also said that the Ben Stokes-led side can't win a Test series in India with an inflexible approach.
Hussain wrote in his column for The Daily Mail:
"Bazball is not attack, attack, attack. Occasionally, you must absorb pressure and this was a time to do so, forcing Bumrah into a second spell, making Jadeja bowl more and more. An opportunity for England to make India really miss Ashwin. When the opposition have a bowler down, recognise the opportunity to grind out a score and boss the game."
The 55-year-old further wrote:
"It's one thing stopping an opponent's momentum in a home series, and England's record at home - even against Australia - is superb. In India it isn't as good. But if they do want things to change, it can't just be a matter of 'this is the way we play, we aren't questioning ourselves.'"
He stated that Brendon McCullum's men should stick to their Bazball approach but need to start doing the basics correctly:
"They've had 18 months of incredible success and this isn't the time to move away from their philosophy. It's a time for introspection. It's a time for the basics - taking your catches, making big scores in first innings. That is how India have found themselves 2-1 up, with two to play. So instead of England players saying how great it is that Jaiswal has been looking to emulate them, note what he's actually doing."
Nasser Hussain represented England in 96 Test matches and 88 ODIs. He served as captain of the red-ball team from 1999 to 2003. He has been a commentator since retiring as a player.
#4 "Careful husbandry of resources is not the Bazball way": Michael Atherton
Michael Atherton slammed the England batters for their collapse in the first innings of the Rajkot Test against India. He said that the visitors failed to capitalize on Ben Duckett's century. The former right-handed batter also criticized the Ben Stokes-led side for the self-delusion observed in Duckett's comments.
Atherton wrote in his column for The Times:
"Careful husbandry of resources is not the Bazball way. They have been profligate in the extreme in this match, wasting a golden opportunity to build on Duckett’s brilliant second-day hundred and to achieve parity or more on the first innings.”
The broadcaster-cum-journalist added:
“They were forced to take some bitter medicine as a consequence on a stifling and totally demoralizing fourth day in Rajkot. One can admire the positivity and playfulness of Ben Duckett and this England team – such were his comments on the third evening – while also questioning their occasional self-delusion.”
Michael Atherton played 115 Tests and 54 ODIs for the Three Lions. The former English captain has been working as a commentator and a columnist for the last 15 years.
#5 "They will only play Bazball": Owais Shah
Owais Shah was disappointed in England's inability to put up a fight in their second innings of the third Test against India in Rajkot. However, Owais claimed that he doesn't feel the visitors should change their approach for the remainder of this series.
Owais said during a discussion on Colors Cineplex:
"I was slightly disappointed as they were bowled out in one-and-a-half sessions. I wasn't expecting them to lose by a margin of 434 runs. I was expecting them to lose two or three wickets by today evening because of the way England bat. They should have given a little fight and taken the match till tomorrow."
The former cricketer added:
"I feel the way captain (Ben) Stokes and (Brendon) McCullum think, they will still think that they had a bad day today and that they will come back again with the thinking they had when they batted in the first innings."
The 45-year-old reckons that Ben Stokes and Co. should have batted more aggressively in the second innings:
"If they had batted with the same thinking in the second innings, they might have given some fight to India but they couldn't do that. They played a lot of maidens in the second innings although when you ask the England batters to play a Test match, they play as though it's a T20 match."
He signed off:
"So they will have to think again about why this happened and why they got such a thinking. They will have to make sure to get rid of that thinking and play with the thinking they had come with, that they will only play Bazball."
Shah was an all-format international for England, appearing in six Tests, 71 ODIs and 17 T20Is. He has delved into the field of coaching and analysis after retirement.