Batters have been playing aggressive cricket for the longest time in this game, though never before anyone gave this style a name. When Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum came together and injected an ultra-attacking style of cricket, the English media labelled it as ‘Bazball’, with everyone, from the fans, players, opposition, crowd, and even broadcasters, chanting it since.

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With Indian captain Rohit Sharma returning to form with a blistering 119 in the second ODI against England in Cuttack, Jos Buttler praised him, saying his approach approved that ‘Bazball’ is the right way to go about in modern-day cricket.

Also read | IND vs ENG 2nd ODI: Broke it down to pieces about how I wanted to bat, says Rohit after hitting 32nd century

Rohit was desperate for runs after failing across formats and divisions over the past four months. His failure in the Ranji Trophy return rubbed salt into his wounds, while a cheap dismissal in the series opener in Nagpur further mounted pressure. He, however, put all this behind in the second game in Cuttack, slamming England bowlers to all parts of the ground from the word go. 

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Despite floodlight failure midway through the run chase, Rohit maintained his concentration and slammed his 32nd ODI hundred, laying the platform for batters to come and win the match for India. In his 90-ball stay at the crease, Rohit whacked seven maximums and 12 fours, hitting a match-wining 119.

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"He really showed (that) in this day and age, in the modern sort of way of playing 50-over cricket, it's very dynamic, very aggressive. He scored at a rate that just confirms really that the way we want to play is the right way that you have to play to try and win games in cricket," Buttler said at the post-match presser.

"The way Rohit played showed that the way we want to play our cricket is the way, the correct way to play cricket,” he continued.

‘He’s a great player’

Rohit has probably seen it all. Although a 50-over World Cup is eluded from his glorious trophy cabinet, Rohit has won two T20 World Cups besides winning the Champions Trophy 12 years ago in England.

Having played against and alongside (in the IPL) Rohit, Buttler knows his mettle, praising him for his appetite for runs even at this age.

"It’s probably a nice reminder for all of us that if someone of Rohit’s calibre can be under pressure, we should be a bit easier on ourselves," Buttler said.

"He's been a great player for such a long period of time and top players generally come up with the goods, and he obviously did that today."

"Any time you're playing against great players and they're playing an innings like that, I'm sure players on both sides will be watching and learning. He played a brilliant innings and (displayed) how he can go up and down the gears and absorb pressure, put a lot of pressure back on (the opponent),” Buttler continued. 

(With inputs from agencies)