India vs England Test series was always going to be Bazball vs Tradition. And it’s 1-0 to Bazball already after India’s defeat in the Hyderabad Test. But what is this Bazball? Test in T20 style, right? One would readily accept the notion as England batters have played some unorthodox shots in Tests that are only seen in T20. But that’s incorrect. Brendon McCullum has revolutionized England Cricket Team since taking over as the coach. But the meaning of Bazball is deeper.
What is Bazball?
Bazball is not just about playing attacking shots mindlessly. It’s an aggressive tactic to put opposition bowling under pressure. To put it simply, Bazball is a mindset that lets the batters play fearlessly, breaking the shackles of traditionalism. Cover drive is still the effective shot but what if you can maneuver the bat and play a reverse sweep for a boundary with no fielders to cover it? That’s where the essence of Bazball lies. Play fearless cricket — something Rohit Sharma has been talking about since taking over India’s captaincy.
The method did work on flat decks in Pakistan and England. But Bazball was destined to face its ultimate test in India, on dustbowls where batting is difficult.
However, Ben Stokes & Co found a way. Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja continued to stick to their guns, slowing down the deliveries to offer more turns.
It worked to some extent as long as the deliveries got some bounce. But the moment the bounce became uneven, the likes of Ollie Pope switched their batting style.
On the deliveries that had some bounce, Ollie Pope played sweeps, reverse sweeps, reverse scoops and whatnot. Those reverse shots put Axar Patel and Ashwin off lengths. They had no answer to his brilliance. Pope went on to score 196 in the IND vs ENG 1st Test.
Defensive vs attacking sweeps
But can England only sweep to win? No. Dinesh Karthik explained during commentary stint that there are two types of reverse sweeps: defensive and attacking.
The reverse sweeps that Indians and most other batters play are defensive in nature. Take Marnus Labuschagne or Alex Carey for example during IND vs AUS Test series. But England found a different way.
England batters played the reverse sweeps below their eyeline to attack the deliveries. Others play it away from the body to snatch a quick single.
“The Indian spinners are extremely skilled. If you try and defend each ball, there’s probably more of a chance to get out, rather than play with cross-bat shots. We practised those shots enough in Abu Dhabi during our training camp before coming here. It could be as safe as defence, playing a reverse sweep or a sweep. It is also going to lead to more half-volleys too from the bowlers,” Ollie Pope said after the IND vs ENG Hyderabad Test.
Can India counter reverse sweeps?
India head coach Rahul Dravid admitted that India failed to counter those reverse sweeps that deflated India’s spin attack. But how? Former India captain and legendary spinner Anil Kumble explained how. Bowl faster spin.
Unlike Hyderabad, Vizag pitch is faster. It will help someone like Kuldeep Yadav who is bowling a notch faster than before, giving more rev to the deliveries. When such deliveries hit the surface, they would come faster to the batters, giving them hardly any chance to play the reverse sweeps. Axar Patel could be effective too with his faster left-arm spin.
“The wrist spin of Kuldeep brings in a new dimension to the attack. India already have Ashwin (off-spinner) and Axar (left-arm spinner). So, Kuldeep has to be the obvious choice,” Anil Kumble said.
