‘Bazball’ Here To Stay As McCullum Urges England To Stay Positive After Heavy Test Loss In India – News18

RAJKOT, India: England’s “Bazball” strategy isn’t going anyplace.

Questions have once more been raised in regards to the deserves of the attacking, entrance-foot fashion most popular by coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes within the wake of England’s 434-run loss to India within the third take a look at.

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

Yet McCullum isn’t for altering, along with his crew nonetheless in with an opportunity of successful the 5-match sequence at 2-1 down.

“The positivity and confidence within the environment needs to remain,” McCullum mentioned. “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 grew to become coach, England had gained one in all its earlier 17 exams. Since his arrival, England has gained 14 of 21 exams — a lot of these victories coming in breathtaking trend.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain wrote within the Daily Mail that the crew may have to tweak its strategy, 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 mentioned. “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 considerations about Joe Root, England’s star batter, who has but to achieve 30 on this sequence. Root was out to a reverse ramp within the third take a look at.

“Joe will be fine,” McCullum mentioned. “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 mentioned forward of the sequence that he would solely play as a batter as he appears to be like to protect his health after knee surgical procedure late final yr. However, he has opened the door to resuming bowling competitively for the primary time since final summer time’s Ashes.

McCullum mentioned he might need to intervene.

“Ben is clever,” McCullum mentioned. “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 take a look at begins on Friday in Ranchi.

___

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)