England are batting with freedom that has not been seen before and more shots, both orthodox and unorthodox, are being played under regime of Stokes and McCullum, than before the duo took over...
Joe Root plays a reverse sweep en route his unbeaten 118 against Australia at Birmingham recently; (right) England’s Jonny Bairstow during his run-a-ball 78 on Day One of the first Ashes Test recently. Pics/Getty Images
The loss in the World Test Championship final and the beginning of the new cycle to qualify for the next final in 2025 was a terrific opportunity for Indian cricket to blood new talent. West Indies are no more the force they were in the last century as can be seen by the fact that they are currently playing in Zimbabwe to try and qualify for the ODI World Cup that they won twice in the 70s. So picking some younger players for the Test series would have made more sense. What is Indian cricket going to learn by picking the same seniors for the two Test matches who have now failed to deliver in two World Test Championship finals. How does it even matter if they score heaps of runs and take bunches of wickets in the Caribbean apart from it bulking up their individual career stats. More importantly, the seniors who are certainties for the World Cup in October could have done with a bit of rest after the busy season they have had over the last six months. With the World Cup in mind they should focus only on white-ball cricket and prepare for what promises to be an exciting World Cup.
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The Ashes series in England seems to have caught the imagination of the cricketing public there. England are batting with a freedom that has not been seen before and more shots both orthodox and unorthodox are being played under the regime of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum than before the duo took over. That’s where Bazball stops. While bowling England are not doing anything different from earlier times. Yes, the field placements have been novel with three men in catching positions on both sides of the wicket. Two fielders on either side of the pitch have been seen before and on air I have called it a field for TV rather than one to actually get any wicket. If anything, the few missed opportunities England had could have been easily pouched if these same fielders had been five to 10 paces back in the normal fielding positions. Up front and that close the fielders had very little time to react to those hard, but uppish pulls and so could barely get their hands to the catches.
Yes, Test cricket could do with a dash of verve and vigour which it certainly is getting while batting but field placing for TV is likely to lose matches and not win them.
Professional Management Group
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