Ashes 2023: Nasser Hussain questions England’s commitment to Bazball strategy

England lost the first Ashes Test against Australia in a nail-biting game. The team’s Bazball strategy, under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum has also come into question after the loss. The new captain-coach duo has definitely benefited the team, with England winning 11 out of 15 games since it adopted a more aggressive style of play. But after Australia’s 1-0 lead in the Ashes, several former cricketers have called Bazball a distraction for the English cricketers. Ben Stokes’ remarks about wanting to “entertain” and invigorate Test cricket have also not gone down well. Former England captain Nasser Hussain has issued a stern remark for Ben Stokes and Co. He reminded Stokes that as a skipper his main priority should be winning.

Nasser Hussain’s stern take on Stokes’ “wanting to entertain” statement

Nasser Hussain said that Ben Stokes should remember that England defeated Australia at home in the early 2000s, and that too, by playing the old-fashioned way. The team did not need Bazball to win, according to Hussain. The former England skipper also reminded Ben Stokes that it was Australia were the reigning champions of Ashes throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, before they were defeated by England. Mentioning the famous 2005 series, Hussain reminded Ben Stokes of their first series victory over their rivals in nearly 20 years.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

“English side has not lost a home series to Australia since that infamous 4-1 drubbing in 2001, then how come they have only managed to win 5 of their last 26 Tests since the whitewash loss of 2014 in Australia,” Nasser said. He concluded by saying that England has serious players and is also playing some serious games, which is why Stokes should not hide behind his remark of “wanting to entertain.”

McCullum defends Bazball strategy

Nasser Hussain’s contentions to comment on England’s commitment to Bazball were countered by Brandon McCullum. The head coach made clear that England’s intention is to experiment and figure out things that work for them. He also agreed that a few things didn’t go their way in the first Ashes Test, but called it the “nature of the game”. England lost the first game by 2 wickets. Usman Khwaja and skipper Pat Cummins ensured that Australia maintained their dominance in Test cricket with the victory.