Ashwin Analyses England’s Bold Bazball Strategy
England’s new-age approach to Test cricket under head coach Brendon McCullum was put to the test in the series opener in Hyderabad, where they secured a 28-run victory. However, India dominated the rest of the series, winning the remaining four Tests and casting doubt on England’s strategy.
India Ascends to the Top of the ICC Test Team Rankings
In a recent Youtube video, Ashwin delved into the ‘Bazball Tour of India’, scrutinising England’s tactics. He reflected on the series, stating, “There were many instances where, had we been playing against Australia instead of England, the outcome could have been two draws rather than decisive victories.”
ICC Hall of Famer Ricky Ponting holds Ravichandran Ashwin in high regard for his skill and craft. More details can be found here.
Ashwin noted that England’s aggressive approach put India under pressure in several Tests. He explained, “Their strategy of playing three sessions could equate to us playing five-six sessions in terms of runs scored, making every match a potential win.”
The Hyderabad Test marked Ashwin’s first encounter with England since they adopted the Bazball tactics nearly two years ago.
Ponting Praises Ashwin as ‘Master of Spin’
Ashwin shared his insights on Bazball, stating, “It isn’t just aggressive cricket, it’s defenseless cricket. They aren’t going to play a defensive shot at all. They risk getting out if they play defensively. Surprisingly, Joe Root, who is arguably the best defensive player against spin in world cricket, also subscribed to their approach.”
England had a target of 398 in the second Test in Visakhapatnam. Ashwin’s three wickets were instrumental in securing India’s victory. He recalled, “I backed myself to bowl at the stumps, and Kona [Srikar] Bharat took a crucial catch, reminiscent of [Wriddhiman] Saha’s catch of Matthew Wade in the Bangalore Test [in 2017].”
Check out the highlights on ICC’s Instagram.
Ashwin concluded, “The next morning, I managed to dismiss Joe Root and Ollie Pope. It was one of the most crucial morning spells and one of the best spells I’ve bowled in my career.”
The spin wizard ended the series as the top wicket-taker, claiming 26 wickets in 10 innings, averaging 24.80. This included two five-wicket hauls in Ranchi and Dharamsala, where he played his 100th Test.