'Bazball or whatever ball…': Anil Kumble gives reality check to Ben Stokes and McCullum post England's Test series defeat against India

Anil Kumble wants England's captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum to critically evaluate their 'Bazball' strategy following their defeat against India in the fourth Test in Ranchi, which also cost them the series 1-3 with one game remaining. India busted the notion around England's invincibility with Bazball approach on February 26 with a series win, a perception that had built up since McCullum's tenure began, marking his first series loss as a coach. With this victory, Team India extended their unbeatable home series streak to 17 and demonstrated why they remain the most formidable team to face on their turf under Rohit Sharma's leadership.

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Anil Kumble slams England's Bazball

'Bazball' is not a formally recognised term; it originated from McCullum's nickname 'Baz' combined with England's aggressive batting approach. This strategy led to success in seven consecutive series, but England's recent encounter with India on their home turf served as a stark reminder of the challenge the team presents. The concept of 'Bazball' has been analyzed and discussed globally, yet the critique by Indian bowling icon Anil Kumble stands out as a significant wake-up call for McCullum and Stokes.

"See the challenge when England came here was obvious. India is not going to easy. Bazball, whatever ball you call it… but it's not going to be easy beating India at home. That is the reason why India has been so dominant over the years. Last decade, India have never lost a series at home. They knew they had to be different but their bowling attack wasn't certainly something that they believed would be able to penetrate the Indian batting," Kumble told broadcasters.

 

"Once they got to know that some of the senior players won't be available, with an inexperienced line-up, they had a chance, but senior batters didn't contribute consistently in that middle order, including Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow and even Joe Root – other than this Test match, so that's where I thought they missed a trick there," he added.

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Having secured four series victories and three draws, the 'Bazball' strategy had clearly made its impact, embodying England's daring and uncompromising pursuit of victory, even when faced with daunting targets like 400 runs in 45 overs. However, despite the apparent success of this approach, Anil Kumble emphasized the importance of showing respect towards the bowlers, the opposing team, and the prevailing conditions. Joe Root, known as England's most proficient Test batsman in India, initially struggled while adopting the 'Bazball' methodology. It was only when he reverted to his traditional style of play that he truly shone, achieving a century.

 

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Kumble cites Shubman Gill's example

Meanwhile, bolstering his argument, Kumble pointed to Shubman Gill as a prime example. The Indian batsman, known for his aggressive stroke play, restrained his natural tendencies during a tense chase of 192, especially when India was precariously positioned at 120/5. Gill, along with Dhruv Jurel, spent 17 overs at the crease without scoring a boundary, methodically accumulating singles to steadily chip away at the target. This approach underscores that it might be premature to fully endorse Bazball, suggesting that England could benefit from some reflection on their strategy.

 

"It's all nice to say 'ok, this is the way I bat'. But you can't do that all the time. Shubman Gill would have loved to pump every ball for a six off the off-spinner, and I'm sure the thought process was there, the intent was there. But you've got to hold back. In Test match cricket, that's what it is. It's about situations and that's what Root did in Ranchi. No wonder he was successful. So it's something England will have to discuss and look at. Not just about the aggressive approach but even the defence," Kumble concluded.

 

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