Is Bazball ruining the soul of Test Cricket?

As much as the word Bazball sounds good and exciting, the more it makes you think, what exactly is the meaning? This term appeared in 2022, when McCullum and Stokes started to work as coach and captain. They changed the style of their playing in Test Cricket and now they play attacking and fearless cricket.

Bazball Brendon McCullum-The game owes its name to Brendon McCullum, who was considered as a great batsman of South Africa. In his career, he was the player who played daring and aggressive cricket in all formats of the game. Upon his appointment as the coach of test team for England he inculcated this style to the players. Stokes has taken the concepts of McCullum to another level in that he believes in uninhibited judgments and being able to act rather than respond.

How does Bazball start?

Before June 2022, England’s test team was going through a rough patch, and Root’s captaincy seemed stale at that time. During this downfall, out of 17 test matches, England won only one match. The Australian team demolished England’s test team by 4-0, and the West Indies also handed them a defeat.

ECB made two bold decisions to redefine England’s test cricket and the then situation. They appointed Brendon McCullum, the swashbuckler, as the coach. He already transformed cricket in New Zealand and aimed to do the same for the England team.

That’s how this new approach was born; it was not just a gimmick. It started with the belief of making it the identity of the team.

How does Ben Stokes fit into this philosophy so perfectly?

Ben Stokes gave life to the ideas and tone of McCullum. As a captain, he not only conveys the ideas but also injects them into the veins of other players. He always prioritizes red ball cricket over the white ball. To revive from the downfall, England needed a captain who led the team from the front and made bold in-game decisions.

There are a few instances where he made bold decisions and shook the world. One was when he declared the innings on day 1 of the 2023 Ashes opener, and another against Pakistan that was also on day 1.

He sets an unconventional and attacking field, backing the players, which boosts their confidence and improves their game. A traditional and pure test batter like Root played sweep and reverse sweep shots; this is the impact of Bazball. It is a mixture of traditional and attacking cricket, where players express themselves with no fear.

Can Bazball last, and is it ruining the soul of Test Cricket?

The elephant in the room, can the bazball last, is it ruining test cricket, and many questions like that. They are indeed playing exciting and entertaining cricket, which draws the attention of youth. On the other hand, it is undermining the foundation of test cricket. It is killing the slow-burn romance of bat and ball, the villainous but thrilling side of the pitch, the persistence of bowlers, and the grit of batters.

Did you all notice that the pitches of England drastically changed over the last 3 years? The uneven bounce, lateral movement, and swing, all these characteristics of pitch, have nearly become invisible these days. The reason is tit doesn’t suit their style of game. The play attacking shots because that’s the only way their batters stand a chance.

Apart from a few players like Pope, Root, and Brook, most of their players do not have good defence. They fail at pitches that complement both bat and ball. Bazball has not done anything for Test cricket as a whole except for the entertainment and viewership. It only suits the style of England’s test team.