Stokes says 'only time will tell' but Harbhajan Singh feels there's 'no chance' of attacking batting approach succeeding on rank turners
CHENNAI: The final embers of a fascinating Ashes hadn't yet died down when England skipper Ben Stokes was made to face the inevitable query that is going to be the talk of the Test cricket universe for the next six months: "Will Bazball work in India?"
"When we beat New Zealand 3-0, the talk was we couldn't do it against South Africa, Pakistan or Australia. So who knows if we can do it against India? Only time will tell," Stokes quipped, still soaking in the fragrance of a fantastic comeback in the series.
Under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, England have won 14 out of 18 Tests now. It's a brilliant record and even the best bowling attacks around the world haven't been able to stop the flow of runs from England's batsmen. But one test that 'Bazball' hasn't faced yet is quality spin on a rank turner.
In India, during the course of the five-Test series early next year, pitches will be dished out which will turn from the first session of the first day. And the deadly spin trio of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel will be in operation, which should make it tough for an overly attacking approach.
Australia tried it in the second innings of the second Test at the Kotla earlier this year and failed miserably, losing nine wickets for 48 runs and consequently losing the game by six wickets.
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has all the respect in the world for the English approach but feels there is absolutely no chance for 'Bazball' to succeed on the kind of pitches India play on these days at home. "It's fantastic the way England (and Australia) played, but in India, Test cricket has shifted from being skill-based to condition-based. No one knows which way the ball is going to turn. In a Test match (in Ahmedabad in 2021), even Joe Root took 5/8. That's a mockery of cricket and on such pitches 'Bazball' won't succeed. It's another matter that Indian batters will struggle too," Harbhajan told TOI.
But the offie who took 417 Test wickets feels that if the pitches are sporting, as they used to be earlier in India, and batting conditions are good, 'Bazball' definitely stands a chance. "If India prepare pitches where everyone is in play and the ball turns due to natural wear and tear as the game progresses, it is going to be an interesting battle," he added.
Sanjay Manjrekar, in a recent tweet, had suggested that the best way to stop 'Bazball' from succeeding was to have two quality spinners operating. In fact, as long as Nathan Lyon was fit during the Ashes, England were down 0-2.
Former England captain Alastair Cook told TOI a few days ago that it's going to be tough against the quality of Ashwin, Jadeja and Axar Patel. "But in the last two tours of India, England lost 0-4 and 1-3 playing orthodox cricket. So they won't have anything to lose this time and will play with the freedom that has made them so successful. There will always be a chance and even if they lose, it won't be the end of the world," Cook said.
Former India opener WV Raman, too, feels it is not a given that 'Bazball' will fail in India. "If you notice that Australian debacle in New Delhi, it was a one-off attempt tried out of desperation and it didn't succeed. But England have turned it into a philosophy of their own. There is nothing knee-jerk about their batting and there is a method to their madness," Raman said.
1/10:England spark Australia collapse to end Ashes all square
Getty Images
2/10:England beat Australia
<p>England beat Australia by 49 runs to win the fifth Test at The Oval on Monday and end the Ashes series all square at 2-2. </p>Getty Images
3/10:Stuart Broad
<p>Australia, chasing a mammoth 384 to win, collapsed from 264-3 to 334 all out, with England's retiring pacer Stuart Broad taking the final wicket.</p>Getty Images
4/10:Australia collapse
<p>England did the bulk of the damage when, after a rain break of more than two hours, they took four Australia wickets for 11 runs in 19 balls.</p>Getty Images
5/10:England win
<p>Off-spinner Moeen Ali (3-76) and all-rounder Chris Woakes (4-50) led the way before Broad, England's all-time leading Ashes bowler polished off the tail.</p>Getty Images
6/10:Pat Cummins
<p>Australia, as the holders, had already retained the Ashes but they remain without an Ashes series win in England since 2001.</p>Getty Images
7/10:Vital stand
<p>Steve Smith and Travis Head had extended their fourth-wicket stand to 95 when Moeen turned a ball out of the rough.</p>Getty Images
8/10:Travis Head
<p>Travis Head, on 43, tried to drive, with Joe Root holding a routine catch at first slip.</p>Getty Images
9/10:Steve Smith
<p>Australia then lost Steve Smith for 54, edging an excellent full-length delivery from Chris Woakes to Zak Crawley at second slip.</p>Getty Images
10/10:Brilliant delivery
<p>With Australia needing 55 to win, Broad produced a brilliant delivery to take Todd Murphy's outside edge, with Bairstow taking the catch. </p>Getty ImagesHe added that in India on such pitches, visiting teams struggle to bat beyond 50 overs. "If England bat for 50 overs, they will have 250 on the board and that's going to be challenging for India. And remember, the Indian batters aren't the masters of playing spin on turners anymore," Raman said, hinting that England left-arm spinner Jack Leach can be equally effective.
He also felt that just as 'Bazball' hasn't been tested on turners, Indian spinners haven't faced such aggressive batting consistently enough. "I have always felt it is better to be aggressive on turning pitches as long as you do the basics right. Left-arm spinners will be a threat, the armball coming in will be the most difficult to deal with, but I'm sure England will prepare for that," Raman said.
Root and Co. have some time at hand to prepare and come early 2024, we'll probably experience one of the most defining periods of modern-day Test cricket.
