England suffered a humbling defeat for the first time under the leadership of captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, swatted aside by 434 runs by India in Rajkot.
After falling 2-1 down in the five-Test series, there have been suggestions far and wide that England’s approach, dubbed ‘Bazball’ in a nod to McCullum’s nickname, needs to be refined.
Here, the PA news agency looks at whether England need to overhaul their philosophy.
What is Bazball?
What’s the problem?
What has been the reaction?
Even when this England team have lost in the last 2 years you have always been able to take positives .. or they haven’t been hammered .. this is looking like a wake up call that surely sends a message you can’t just play one way against quality teams .. #INDvENG
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 18, 2024
England have come in for widespread criticism on social media. Ashes 2005-winning captain Michael Vaughan wrote on X that this latest setback should act as a “wake-up call”. Nasser Hussain, another former England skipper, said in the Daily Mail that “tweaks” to their philosophy should be considered, adding: “Bazball is not attack, attack, attack. Occasionally, you must absorb pressure.”
Will England pay any heed?
So, more of the same, then?
