By India Today Sports Desk: England captain Ben Stokes came up with a cheeky response when he was asked whether England’s much-talked-about Bazball would work in India when his team travels to the sub-continent for a 5-Test series in February- Ever since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum took over as the captain in 2022, questions have been asked about their approach but England have won 14 out of the 18 Tests under their management.
Ashes, 5th Test Day 5: Highlights | Report
Before the Ashes 2023 series began, England’s approach to the game, known as ‘Bazball’, was under scrutiny. Critics questioned whether this aggressive, high-risk strategy would be effective against the formidable Australian side. However, England remained steadfast in their approach, demonstrating a remarkable resilience and determination that would ultimately pay off.
Australia started the series strongly, winning the first two Tests and seemingly poised to secure their first series win in England since 2001. However, England refused to be defeated so easily. They fought back with impressive victories at Headingley and The Oval, turning the tide of the series and denying Australia the victory they had seemed certain to achieve.
The fifth and final Test was a nail-biting affair that saw England triumph over Australia by 49 runs.
BAZBALL IN INDIA?
“I remember when we beat New Zealand 3-0, (the chatter) was we couldn’t do it against South Africa, (we) couldn’t do it against Pakistan, (we) couldn’t do it against Australia. So who knows if we can do it against India, only time will tell,” Stokes said after the 5th Test at The Oval in London.
After crushing New Zealand 3-0, England lost the first Test of a 3-match series against South Africa. However, they stuck to the Bazball approach and won 2-1. England then outclassed Pakistan in Pakistan 3-0, forcing results on drab pitches in the sub-continent.
England last won in India 2012-13, a sensational victory that came after the tourists neutralised the Indian spinners. However, in their last two trips, England were hammered 4-0 and 3-1.
England will visit India for a 5-match series for the first time in 2024. Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi and Dharamsala will hos the 5th Test from January 25 to March 11.
