Ashwin analyzes the impact of England’s Bazball approach: the Indian National Cricket Team staged a remarkable comeback in the five-match Test series, defeating England led by Ben Stokes by a margin of 4-1. This marked England’s first-ever Test series loss under the captaincy of Ben Stokes and the coaching of Brendon McCullum.
Following India’s 4-1 triumph in the home Test series against England, Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin shared his insights on the Bazball. The series commenced with England claiming a 28-run victory in Hyderabad, showcasing the effectiveness of England’s modern approach to Test cricket under their head coach Brendon McCullum.
However, India seized control thereafter, clinching victories in the remaining four Tests and casting doubt on the visiting team’s strategy.
Ashwin analyzes the impact of England’s Bazball approach
In his recent YouTube video, Ashwin extensively discussed the ‘Bazball Tour of India’, dissecting England’s approach. The Hyderabad Test marked Ashwin’s first encounter against England since they adopted the Bazball tactics nearly two years ago. Ashwin analyzes the impact of England’s Bazball approach.
“There were many times in this series when I thought, if this was against Australia instead of England, we could have seen two draws instead of results,” Ashwin said.
“At least one, because of the flatter cricket pitches… But because of this new English approach, they put us under pressure in several Tests.
“The pressure was because – them playing three sessions could be equal to us playing five-six sessions in terms of runs scored, and so every match was bound to go for a result,” he said. “So it was always on my mind that we would have to try something different.”
Ponting said about R Ashwin, ‘’He’s got a lot of theories and philosophies on the game, which I really like, He’s always done things a little bit differently and done things his own way. He just continued to evolve as a bowler.’’
“The one thing that I personally understood after the first Test is that Bazball isn’t just aggressive cricket,” he said. “It is defenseless cricket.
“They aren’t going to play a defensive shot at all. They are going to get out if they play defense. To my surprise, Joe Root also agreed to their game plan. Because if you take world cricket’s best defense rankings, Joe Root is an easy No.1 on that list against spin. He also bought into their approach.”
In the second Test in Visakhapatnam, England was chasing a target of 398 when Ashwin contributed by taking three wickets to pave the way for India’s victory.
“I backed myself to bowl at the stumps, and at the right time, Kona [Srikar] Bharat took a catch, just like [Wriddhiman] Saha took the catch of Matthew Wade in the Bangalore Test [in 2017].
“After that, positive vibes surrounded the place. The next morning, I was able to knock over Joe Root and Ollie Pope. One of the crucial morning spells and one of the best spells I’ve bowled in my life so far.
“Tom Hartley was my potential 500th wicket, but then the review got turned down. And James Anderson with the glove again, the ball flew over slip. Some things are meant to be, and some things are not. I could have gotten five there, but all I could was three, but still one of the outstanding spells I’ve bowled, in my opinion.”
Ashwin concluded the series as the leading wicket-taker with 26 dismissals in 10 innings, averaging 24.80. This impressive performance included two five-wicket hauls achieved in Ranchi and Dharamsala, where he also celebrated his 100th Test match appearance.
In a video posted on his official YouTube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin addressed Jimmy Anderson’s remarks and expressed his thoughts that,
“James Anderson went into a press conference in the second Test after winning the first considerably well. Much respect to them for winning that. He told the press that even if the 4th innings target was 500 or 600, we’ll finish it in 60 overs. Even though it was an example of their positive mindset, it felt like they had gone too far,” Ashwin said.
Ravichandran Ashwin also weighed in on England’s Bazball approach and made a significant revelation. Ashwin was straightforward in his assessment, stating that English batsmen played defensive cricket due to the fear of dismissal. He expressed surprise at Joe Root’s decision to embrace Bazball despite possessing a strong defensive technique.
“The one thing I understood after the first Test is that Bazball isn’t just aggressive cricket. It is defenseless cricket. They aren’t going to play a defensive shot at all. They are going to get out if they play defence.
To my surprise, Joe Root also agreed to their game plan. Because if you take world cricket’s vest defence rankings, Root is an easy number 1 on that list against spin. He also bought into their approach,” the 37-year-old said.
Bazball, an aggressive cricket concept in Test format introduced by England under head coach Brendon McCullum, remains a relatively new idea.
Unlike in baseball, conditions and pitch have a significant impact on the outcome of every choice or strategy implemented. Bazball must be tested in various conditions, and this is where Ashwin believes it may struggle. While the approach has been successful in England, the veteran Indian cricketer asserts that conditions often dictate a team’s approach, overshadowing any predetermined style.
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