England legends outraged by Ben Stokes' bold declaration in 1st Test of Ashes 2023; Ricky Ponting feels the opposite 

Joe Root & Ben Stokes (Source: Twitter)

England has indicated that 'Bazball' is not just about big shots and aggressive batting, but also about bold decisions. From being out on the first ball of the Ashes the previous season to smashing for a boundary on the first ball of the Ashes 2023, England demonstrated their shift in approach in front of the Edgbaston crowd. However, what surprised everyone was that skipper Ben Stokes declared at 393 for eight, with Joe Root still unbeaten on 118.

England stuck to their game plan on Day 1 of the five-match series, scoring nearly 5 runs per over. Zak Crawley and Jonny Bairstow scored half-centuries in ODI mode, while their former Test captain Root notched up his 30th century by playing some unorthodox shots. With Root and Robinson at the crease and two wickets to spare, England could have added a few more runs to cross the 400 mark. But Stokes decided to have a crack against Australia before stumps on the opening day.

Stokes' surprise call has angered former England players Michael Vaughan and Kevin Pietersen, who felt England could have put more runs on the board. “I wouldn’t have declared. You just don’t know what is going to happen. England are trying to send a message no team has ever done before. I, as a captain, would’ve wanted a few more runs, especially with Joe Root out there," former England captain Michael Vaughan said on BBC Test Match Special.

Pietersen believed that a first-innings aim of somewhat more than 400 runs would have been better for England. “I don’t think that’s the nature of his captaincy (in and out fields from Stokes). It’s difficult to answer because we did not see much in it this evening. I think that tomorrow (Saturday) could be the most beautiful day. That’s why I am… I didn’t like the declaration. We will find out if it’s the right thing to have done. I always got told 400… get to 400, 450 in the first innings of a Test match. It’s psychological. Maybe I am being too critical, I don’t know, we will see," he said on Sky Sports.

That’s all about the new attitude of this current England regime: Ricky Ponting

Meanwhile, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who admitted he was expecting a declaration, explained that England was giving them the best chance of winning the game rather than a draw.

“We were sort of expecting it, weren’t we? They were up with the scoring rate and had a chance to get the Australians out for 15-20 minutes tonight. I love it, to be honest. That’s all about Ben Stokes and the new attitude of this current England regime under Stokes and McCullum. They are doing everything to take the game forward and give themselves the best chance of winning games. They are trying to capitalise and seize the moment," Ponting said.