England won't quit playing 'Bazball'

England’s “Bazball” approach isn’t going anywhere.

Questions have again been raised about the merits of the attacking, front-foot style preferred by coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes in the wake of England’s 434-run loss to India in the third test.

It was England’s largest defeat in runs since 1934.

Yet McCullum isn’t for changing, with his team still in with a chance of winning the five-match series at 2-1 down.

“The positivity and confidence within the environment needs to remain,” McCullum said. “If we do that, we give ourselves the best opportunity with the talent we possess to bounce back. That messaging that comes from myself and the skipper will never change regardless of how we’re going.

“I don’t want our guys to ever doubt themselves, otherwise we go back to where it was beforehand.”

Before McCullum became coach, England had won one of its previous 17 tests. Since his arrival, England has won 14 of 21 tests — many of those victories coming in breathtaking fashion.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain wrote in the Daily Mail that the team might need to tweak its approach, saying that “Bazball is not attack, attack, attack — occasionally, you must absorb pressure.”

“When you start retreating a little bit on what you’ve done before and what you’ve said you’re trying to achieve, you’re literally living and dying every day by your results and that’s not what this team is about,” McCullum said. “This team is about trying to keep pushing the game forward, to try and entertain and ultimately win. It didn’t work this time around but you can only do that by providing an environment where the guys feel safe and feel they can take on the world.”

McCullum downplayed concerns about Joe Root, England’s star batter, who has yet to reach 30 in this series. Root was out to a reverse ramp in the third test.

“Joe will be fine,” McCullum said. “It’s a great compliment to be in a funk after three test matches. He just has to keep backing himself and wait for the luck to turn his way.

“The fact he’s missed out in three tests, does that surely not just mean that he’s closer to getting a big score? It’s Joe Root. Crikey. I mean, seriously? The law of averages suggests he’ll fill his boots in the next two tests.”

Stokes said ahead of the series that he would only play as a batter as he looks to preserve his fitness after knee surgery late last year. However, he has opened the door to resuming bowling competitively for the first time since last summer’s Ashes.

McCullum said he might have to intervene.

“Ben is clever,” McCullum said. “He won’t bowl unless he thinks he’s legitimately able to bowl. The problem would be if he starts getting into a spell and then he can’t get out of the spell.

“If he does get that bit between his teeth, let’s see where the danger lies and try and pull him away from it. But it’s good that he’s actually getting into a state where he thinks he might bowl.”

The fourth test starts on Friday in Ranchi.

World Test Championship standings
1. New Zealand 75%
2. India 59.52%
3. Australia 55%
4. Bangladesh 50%
5. Pakistan 36.66%
6. West Indies 33.3%
7. South Africa 25%
8. England 21.88%
9. Sri Lanka 0%

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission