IND vs ENG: India show the mediocrity of Bazball

In the longer run, when the thrill of this dramatic, albeit mediocre quality of their cricket in several ways, fades out, England should worry. That they won’t is part of the Bazball DNA perhaps; this team if anything is stubborn in nature, which is a good and a bad thing. They won’t drop Zak Crawley, they won’t nudge out Pope, they won’t include batsmen with skills to face the moving ball if the strike rate isn’t healthy. All that has worked for them in many ways, but has left cricket a touch poorer.

England captain Ben Stokes offers his verdict on the series 🙌 #SonySportsNetwork #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings | @benstokes38 @SanjanaGanesan pic.twitter.com/1PoI4Kv9n5

— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) August 4, 2025

To make Bazball happen, they have had to take life out of the pitches. Their bowlers are run to the ground, too much dirty work is asked of them. That the bowlers have bought into this Bazball-ism is a credit to the charismatic leadership of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum. The other day on BBC TMS former England captain Alastair Cook would mention if he were to tell his bowlers these kinds of tracks day in and day out, and chose to bowl after winning tosses repeatedly, there would be some stern faces.

The flat-track bullies then have a swing and the game meanders along towards the final-day finale without a proper contest between bat and ball. All the drama unfolds on the final day because of the match situation rather than any deterioration in pitch to level up the bowling-batting mismatch. This Test at The Oval threw in a bit of curveball with the conditions changing. When suddenly things happen out of script as it did in the last 30 minutes on Sunday evening and on Monday morning when the old ball wobbled around, England’s batsmen flail helplessly.

Pope averages just 34 and it’s easy to see why. A more nervous starter than him is difficult to imagine and one whose game doesn’t hold up when the ball moves a bit. To length balls straightening outside off, he stabs like he is a juvenile prisoner and against nipbackers he falls over like an old drunk prisoner. Crawley’s batting is only made for impact – and that too on flat tracks and even then he just averages 31.55 from 59 Tests. Says much.

England’s Chris Woakes on day five of the fifth cricket test match between England and India at The Kia Oval in London, Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

They had the opportunity to give Jacob Bethell a proper run in this series instead of shoving him in the fag end in a pressure-cooker situation. Jamie Smith has looked pretty decent and is likely to have a long run as wicket-keeper batsman but he and the young guns aren’t able to develop their game due to the flat pitches being served up.

No other big team in the circuit loads up the team with batsmen without ability against moving ball, and almost handcuffs themselves to produce pitches where these batsmen can prosper.

For a while now, England have been talking about how their Bazball has made Test cricket sexy, but it’s a hollow claim. There was a definite thrill to watch them blaze away in the initial year or two, but when the same pattern repeats and takes out the pleasure of watching batsmen cope with good pitches that aid an even contest, it has got a bit boring to watch. It’s perhaps good for English cricket with the kind of resources they have and the personnel they chose, but to claim that its great for Test cricket for everyone sounds a tall claim.

A win carved in 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘵. A moment owned by 𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐀 🇮🇳 ✨

Scenes from the commentary box as India do the improbable 🎙️#SonySportsNetwork #ENGvIND #NayaIndia #DhaakadIndia #TeamIndia #ExtraaaInnings pic.twitter.com/nYwGOn5jDx

— Sony Sports Network (@SonySportsNetwk) August 4, 2025

As Australia’s Steve Smith had a pop at the Englishmen, thus: “Their (England) batters are going to be challenged a little bit differently to the wickets they have had over in England for a while, which have looked pretty flat and good for batting.”

‘Boring’ is an adjective that not just the England team but even its commentators and fans won’t use and its usage will be slammed for a ‘thriller’ of a series. But this is not a diss on the cricket seen, but a sigh about the kind of cricket quality being missed due to England’s methods. It’s to India’s credit that they sensationally made it a 2-2 result and in such a thrilling fashion at The Oval. But England’s Bazball isn’t that sexy; the ‘young gun’ Indians have exposed its banality – and cowardice that lies in its soul.