‘Their batting failed miserably’: Former cricketers slam England’s Bazball approach after losing Test series in India 4-1

England’s “Bazball” approach took a major setback in the just-concluded Test series against India following their innings defeat in the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala on Saturday. England had already surrendered the series following a five-wicket loss in the fourth Test in Ranchi, and one of the major reasons of the visitors’ 4-1 series defeat was due to the batters failing to fire in unison.

Zak Crawley was England’s most consistent batter having scored four fifties in the series to finish with 407 runs. However, with most of the other batters failing to produce such consistent performances, the visitors’ Bazball approach fell flat.

Former England cricketers including Nasser Hussain questioned England’s Bazball approach in this series. “We just get lost with this term Bazball. The team, the management does not like the term Bazball. They need to look at their own individual performances,” Nasser Hussain told on Sky Sports.

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“Look at the opposition. Like in anything in life, try and learn. Why did we collapse?  Why Crawley keeps getting starts and keeps getting out? Ben Duckett, got a brilliant 150, gave a charge when the ball was too new,” added Hussain.

Nasser Hussain further lamented England skipper Ben Stokes’ forgettable run with the bat. Stokes managed to score just 199 runs from five matches at 19.90. “Ben Stokes had a poor series with the bat. Maybe because he is playing only with the bat. Just look at your own game and improve,” said Hussain.

Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag felt England were left clueless during the series.

“Bazball , Batti Gull. There needs to be a method to madness. England simply didn’t have the game to match and looked clueless particularly after the second test match . The captain failing miserably only added to their woes and they simply looked like living in an illusion . For this method to succeed, there needs to be a method to madness, which England severely lacked,” Sehwag posted on ‘X’.

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Bazball , Batti Gull.
There needs to be a method to madness. England simply didn’t have the game to match and looked clueless particularly after the second test match .
The captain failing miserably only added to their woes and they simply looked like living in an illusion . For… pic.twitter.com/wVtNN1nV8X

— Virrender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) March 9, 2024

Another ex England cricketer, Michael Vaughan, felt England’s batting failed miserably. “The great frustration is that they have the talent to be really competitive all over the world but they have blown two big series and in this case it was because their batting failed miserably,” Vaughan wrote in a column for The Telegraph.

“I worry that they are speaking a language that not all of them truly believe, which is dangerous. Positivity is good, and inspiring, but honesty is also required. The team message is never to doubt anything, never admit they were wrong or they could have done things differently … that does not breed an environment of ruthlessness,” added Vaughan.

Former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad said England neither competed nor entertained in this series. “Wonderful win for Team India. England have been miserable and for all the hype neither could entertain nor compete. Ben Stokes failed as a leader, a specialist batter averaging below 20 means playing as a specialist captain and failed at that. For India everyone stepped up, but for me this was the coming of age for Kuldeep Yadav. Had been unlucky earlier to miss out on a spot but kudos to the team management for having faith in him and he has been incredible to watch #INDvsENG,” he posted on X.

Wonderful win for Team India. England have been miserable and for all the hype neither could entertain nor compete. Ben Stokes failed as a leader, a specialist batter averaging below 20 means playing as a specialist captain and failed at that. For India everyone stepped up, but… pic.twitter.com/3Sdlvb9zKh

— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) March 9, 2024

Graeme Swann said that India were playing their own version of Bazball. “India have come out and are playing England at their own ‘Bazball’ game - and they’re doing very, very well,” Swann said while commentating during the fifth Test.

This was England’s first Test series defeat under the “Bazball” era.