Former England captain and star batter, Nasser Hussain was furious after the Three Lions were comprehensively beaten by a margin of 4-1 by India in the five-match Test series. Hussain made a stunning statement where he urged the England batters to ignore instructions given by skipper Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. Hussain wants England batters to stick to their styles and play according to their styles rather than focusing on 'Bazball'.
"They don’t need to listen to Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. The most important thing for them is to look after themselves and find ways to get better. Any big player will do what suits his style rather than follow the instructions," Hussain said on Sky Sports.
'Bazball' worked against England in India
On the back of a complete team performance, India defeated England by a margin of an innings and 64 runs in the fifth Test in Dharamsala on March 9 (Saturday) to secure a 4-1 win in the five-match series. While it was the Kuldeep Yadav show on Day 1, the next morning was dominated by Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and young Indian batters who piled on misery on the visitors. Playing his 100th Test, Ravichandran Ashwin bagged a five-wicket haul in the second innings as India tamed rampaging 'Bazball'.
"Look at Ravichandran Ashwin. He is playing in his 100th Test, but he continues to improve. Kuldeep Yadav is playing the Test series after a long time, and he took 5 wickets in the first innings," Hussain continued
"The performance in the first innings of the fifth Test was the disappointing one in the whole series. Look at how Ollie Pope threw way his wicket. The same could be said about Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes. They can’t hide behind Bazball for their failures. They had moments to win the games in the series but didn’t capitalize on those chances," he added.
A great opportunity goes begging for England
Despite the initial success of England's aggressive 'Bazball' approach to Test cricket, the strategy faced significant challenges during the series on Indian pitches. 'Bazball,' known for its bold and attacking play, initially breathed new life into England's cricket, leading to notable victories. However, against a resilient and tactically astute Indian team, the limitations of 'Bazball' became evident, underscoring the complexity and unpredictability inherent in Test cricket.
While Ben Stokes and his team did put up a formidable challenge, their approach faltered in critical moments, demonstrating that 'Bazball' could not consistently deliver against the strategic depth of the Indian side, particularly in Indian conditions.
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