Bazball more than just entertainment: Steve Smith highlights the impact of England's approach
England has never managed to break into the WTC Final ever since the inception of the ICC format. The team, under the leadership of Ben Stokes and the guidance of Brendon McCullum, is yet to prove their mettle. However, the captain-coach duo have ensured that they never leave the headlines for their Test play. Under Stokes and the former Kiwi champion, England adapted "Bazball," the aggressive style to approach the traditional red-ball format. While Bazball is yet to push England to the shore, it has yielded impressive results for the English at home. Now, as England takes on India at home in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Steve Smith has highlighted the evolution of Bazball.
Steve Smith says England have evolved Bazball from entertainment to attack amid India vs England series
Since Brendon McCullum took over as head coach, England’s bold and fast-paced brand of Test cricket, widely known as "Bazball", has captured the global cricketing spotlight. The strategy injected new life into England's home performances. But questions have lingered about its consistency and adaptability, especially when facing elite opposition in unfamiliar, challenging conditions. Bazball is currently yielding impressive results against the visitors in the ongoing India vs England series.
According to Steve Smith, England seems to be evolving their approach during the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. In an recent interview, the former Australian skipper noted a shift in focus. Smith highlighted that Bazball has evolved from purely entertaining cricket to playing with a results-driven mindset. While England’s aggressive style has delivered success on home soil, their track record abroad, particularly in Asia, has been far more erratic. The core debate around Bazball remains whether it can hold up in high-stakes matches, particularly within the framework of the WTC Cycle.
“They have started to play a little bit differently in the last couple of weeks in terms of playing the situation, as opposed to going out and trying to be the entertainers that they said they wanted to be,” Smith noted. “They are actually trying to win the games now, which is perhaps different to what was said in their comments previously,” he added.
The hosts are currently leading the India vs England series 2-1. India has not won a Test series in England since 2007. Meanwhile, the home side is making it especially tough for India, now led by Shubman Gill, to break the streak in the ongoing series. Smith’s observations echo a growing sentiment in the cricketing world that England may finally be refining their approach to combine attacking flair with tactical maturity.
