Ever since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum joined hands as England’s Test captain and Test coach, the Bazball has done wonders for the Three Lions. Not only they have returned to winning ways, but also they have been entertaining in their mindset, approach, and on the field.
The mentality of ‘Win or lose over draw’ has gained them more supporters and fans and experts are watching the England Test side with more interest and excitement than they had in the past decade or so.
Under Stokes and McCullum, England have won 8 and lost only 1 Test in 9 Tests.
And inevitably, the talk of the Ashes 2023, which will be hosted by England in the summer, have taken traction.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan has fired the first warning shots toward Australia, saying that the way this reformed England side play is that they are not afraid of losing and are, in fact, willing to risk losing in order to eke out a result. Attacking fields, bold declarations, and aggressive batting have been the hallmark of the Bazball, and Vaughan has warned Australia of the same.
“They’re playing like they don’t give a shit, England,” Michael Vaughan told foxsports.com.au. “That’s the way they’re playing. They’re like, ‘we don’t care if we lose’. (Australia) better get ready, because the juggernaut is not easy to play against.”
“I honestly think Ben (Stokes) and Baz (McCullum) have revolutionised Test cricket,” he added.
“The more you look at the approach that they’re going for, the more it makes sense, the more it fits into the modern player, the more that you realise that’s what they’re pretty much brought up to do these days (be attacking). So why not do it in Test match cricket?”
Steve Smith, David Warner reply to Bazball
Australia themselves have been dominating too this year – suffering only 1 loss in 7 Tests – and sit at the top of the WTC points table.
Veteran batsman Steve Smith said he’d like to see how the Bazball will work when England face stern test against Aussie pacers on a spicy pitch
“I’m just intrigued to see how long it lasts, if it’s sustainable,” Steve Smith said in July.
“If you come on a wicket that’s got some grass on it and Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc are rolling in at you, is it going to be the same? We’ll see what happens.”
David Warner reiterated Smith’s comments, and said Australia play their own ‘Ronball’ (on the name of their coach Andre McDonald.)
“To be honest, I haven’t really taken much notice of it,” Warner said. “I think by all means they obviously have the right to play however they want.
“They know their conditions, so if they feel like it’s sustainable to play that brand of cricket when the ball is hooping and seaming then that’s fine. If it comes off, it comes off. That’s their brand of cricket. But from our point of view, we’ll be playing Ronball.”
