Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra noticed that England did not use their typical Bazball tactic on Day 1 of the third Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test. He pointed out that the hosts scored at a moderate rate of slightly more than three runs per over.
England finished the first day at Lord’s with a total of 251/4 for their first innings. Despite losing only four wickets, the batting remained conservative throughout the day. Chopra questioned the absence of England’s usual aggressive style, wondering where the Bazball mindset had gone.
“Where’s the Bazball, sir?” There used to be something called Bazball; where is it now? It’s claimed to be lost somewhere in St John’s Wood, because you played all day and only scored 250 runs,” Chopra remarked on his YouTube channel.
Chopra also observed that Joe Root, who had adopted a more aggressive technique during the Bazball period, appeared to be returning to his previous approach. He pointed out that Root, who struggled to score in the first two Tests, seems to have made a deliberate decision to take his time and build his innings methodically.
“This was Joe Root’s slowest half-century during the Bazball era. He had been hitting since the beginning of the era, and we had often wondered why he was in such a hurry. Allow others to play as they choose, but Joe Root is like the root of a tree.
So, he understood he hadn’t scored any runs in the first two games and decided to bat more politely now,” Aakash Chopra explained.
On Day 1, Root remained unbeaten at stumps on 99 from 191 deliveries, striking only nine boundaries and scoring the most of his runs through singles and doubles. Chopra commented that Root’s approach indicated a shift in thinking, noting that England’s batsmen had begun to emphasise their adaptability rather than constantly adhering to an aggressive manner.
“Bazball was completely ignored, regardless of who the batter was, from No. 1 to Ben Stokes. All of them have now stated that they are not mad, that they want to win, but that they are also willing to play for a draw. They know they have to play fast, but they can also play slowly,” Chopra remarked.
The cricketer-turned-commentator said that England was compelled to take a more cautious approach, adding that the hosts had never batted so slowly in the current Bazball era. On Day 1 of the Lord’s Test, England mustered only 25 fours and did not strike a single six. Ben Duckett, who scored 23 off 40 balls with a strike rate of 57.50, was England’s fastest scorer.
“When you don’t have a decent second option or aren’t playing well, you seek for such routes, which is precisely what happened. Only 250 runs were scored on the first day, which is unusual in today’s times. No team plays this slowly, and those who talk about Bazball don’t play like that. However, this time you noticed that they were very, very slow,” Chopra said.
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