Bazball approach
- Origin: The name was first coined by ESPNCricinfo journalist Andrew Miller after former New Zealand cricketer Brendon McCullum’s appointment as the head coach in may last year. ‘Baz’ hence comes from the long-standing nickname for McCullum during his playing days, who himself was known for his aggressive brand of cricket.
- Features:
- Faster scoring rates
- Aggressive fields and bowling changes
- Taking draw out of equation
- Critics: Earlier this year, veteran Indian bowler Ravichandran Ashwin had made an honest criticism of Bazball citing that it might not suit all conditions.
Australia’s Steve Smith too questioned the longevity of the approach and whether it is sustainable of green-top tracks with the likes of “Josh Hazlewood, Cummins and Starc are rolling in at you.”