Ashes 2023: Root playing Bazball is keeping us in the game, claims Labuschagne ahead of Lord's Test

England and Australia entertained one and all in the opening Test of Ashes 2023. While Ben Stokes-led England backed their Bazball approach, Australia played the conventional cricket and eventually edged past the English line-up by two wickets to go 1-0 up in the five-match series.

A lot was said and written about England's aggressive brand of cricket in the purest format of the game. While many believed they will tweak their methods during the Ashes battle versus Australia, Stokes & Co. didn't and have given enough signals that they will continue to play attackingly despite a close defeat in the series opener. Ahead of the second Test, which starts on June 28 at Lord's, Australia's No. 3 Marnus Labuschagne claimed that Joe Root's Bazball approach is helping his team stay in the contest.

Root is one of England's most reliable batters. Over the years, he has remained very consistent in Tests resorting to hisconventional style of batting. Ever since England adopted the Bazball style of play, the former England captain Root has not bogged down from going for the reverse sweep and unorthodox strokes from time to time, also during his blazing 118* in the first Test in Edgbaston, Birmingham. However, Labuschagne believes Root playing aggressively helps Australia.

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'They're playing aggressively and Root is doing it with a different method which can benefit us'

“From my perspective, him playing that method and those shots are keeping us in the game,” said Labuschagne. As quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald, Labuschagne pointed out Root's dismissal in the second Test (stumped out for 46) and said, "I use that second innings as an example. He probably had an opportunity to shut us out and take the game away from us completely. But the method and the way he was playing kept us in the game and, evidently, he played unbelievable innings, but he ended up getting 40 [46] and if he turns that 40 into 80-plus, we’re chasing 300 and that’s going to be a pretty big effort."

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“So I think that’s the benefit for us, the way they’re playing. They’re playing aggressive cricket, and he’s doing it with a different method, which is great, but it brings in other opportunities for us. Hopefully, at some point in the series, that will keep paying off," added Labuschagne.

Meanwhile, Labuschagne will be eager to get past his failures in the first Test and go big in the Lord's face-off. He returned with a golden duck and 13 as Pat Cummins & Co. held their nerves to ultimately chase down 282 with two wickets to spare.

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