With the India vs England first Test starting on Thursday in Hyderabad, as expected, there is a lot of talk surrounding Bazball. While this approach has helped English teams in the past, but hasn’t quite worked for them in the last few series’. And for the same reason, this approach has been rightly questioned by experts all around the world.
But India wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik feels that Bazball ‘isn’t understood well’. While for some it might mean creating pressure on the opposition, for others, it might just be scoring at a rapid pace in Tests. But that is not what it is.
Speaking with Indian Express, Karthik said, “I feel that the word Bazball isn’t understood well. It doesn’t mean applying pressure. It is actually about trying to be the best version of yourself. It basically means, at times when you have to absorb pressure, be courageous enough to do it and do it your way.
“That is the messaging that is going around. It is not about scoring runs at 6 or 7 runs an over. It means if you sense that the opponent isn’t there in the game, then go for it but if they are on top and doing a good job, then try and see the best defensive version of yourself using the game you have.
“Don’t try to surrender trying to do something you are not good at. But be very confident of what you can do in those situations with your game. With the ball it is all about constantly trying ways to get wickets.”
England playing XI for Hyderabad Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (C), Ben Foakes, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Hartley, Mark Wood, Jack Leach.
