Former England player Geoffrey Boycott urged the Ben Stokes-led England team to temper their Bazball style of batting and apply some common sense in the upcoming 5-match Test series against India, adding that winning is more important than entertaining.
“England should beat India if they temper Bazball and use some common sense. At times their cricket has been thrilling and super enjoyable but also reckless batting has lost them Test matches. Their only thought should be winning because it is no use telling us how good you are when the last three World Test Championship finals have been played in our country but England have not qualified for any of them. They should be embarrassed. Their aim should be to make the next WTC final,” Boycott wrote in his column for the Daily Telegraph.
“The new cycle starts now and somebody needs to get through to the England players that being a winner is better than being known as an entertainer. If you can win and entertain, that is a bonus. At the moment England are like a one-trick-pony. It’s Bazball or Bazball and that is the way we play; take it or leave it. They don’t want to change or learn from their losses. It doesn’t seem to make any difference that so many top class ex-England Test players keep telling them to moderate their batting. So please, get your act together, bring your best game and apply some cricket nous,” he added.
Bazball is the term associated with England’s aggressive style of play under head coach Brendon McCullum. Essentially, it gives players license to be more attacking and emboldened with their shot-making and field placings, and be free from recrimination.
Last month, Bazball was in full flow against Zimbabwe in England’s one-off Test match win where Zimbabwe folded inside three days as expected and the Three Lions won by an innings and 45 runs with four sessions to spare in a worthy warmup for India’s five-test tour starting on June 20 in Leeds.