England is setting new standards of test cricket with its new “BazBall” approach. The team raised the bar of test cricket over the past few months.
England, under Joe Root’s captaincy, suffered embarrassing losses one after the other. Root eventually succumbed to pressure and stepped down. English cricket board was focused on a change. They appointed Ben Stokes as captain and Brendon McCullum as head coach of England’s test cricket team. Since taking on the role, the duo has promised to bring an ultra-aggressive approach to the game, in contrast to the traditional test cricket format.
And the duo kept their word. Soon England began playing aggressively with the bat. They did not hesitate to attack the bowlers with the new ball and took them on from ball one. Interestingly, the change in approach worked for them. The team started winning matches. Their approach was termed “BazBall” by the fans.
“BazBall” name got stuck to the England test cricket team. Their new aggressive approach has altered the public’s perception of test cricket in general. Initially, the test format followed a particular set pattern in which the ball always dominated the bat. However, with T20 cricket gaining more coverage, batters are slowly becoming fearless day by day. The only thing stopping other teams from playing with this kind of approach is their mindset.
England pulled off a courageous act against Pakistan
England perfectly showed that a change in mindset can work wonders for any team. No set pattern is mandatory. With the right intent and plan, anything is achievable. The other thing the England cricket team is promoting is the intent to produce results in test matches. Earlier, teams used to settle for a draw in tough conditions. Regardless of the situation, this new English team is demonstrating a positive intent to produce results.
England portrayed this intent in the first test match against Pakistan. The pitch was a flat surface that produced no movement whatsoever. England continued their dominance with the bat and posted a record breaking total. However, Stokes pulled off a courageous act in the second innings as he declared England innings at a lead of 342, which seemed too below par on a dead pitch.
But, England carried forward their BazBall approach with the ball as well. They came in with a set plan for each batter and set them up. Pakistani batters were taken aback by England’s ruthlessness and could not find any answers. England stood tall right up to the final minutes of the match and won the game.
It’s safe to say that the England cricket team is on a mission to revolutionize test cricket and give it a new modern sense of direction.
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