‘He doesn’t need to be a Bazballer’- Former England captain advises Joe Root to play his natural game against India

Ever since the England team adopted the ‘Bazball’ approach, they have become one of the most exciting teams to play test cricket in the contemporary era. England's team’s approach under the coaching of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes has been a fearless one irrespective of the conditions and opposition.

It was one of the reasons why the India vs England was termed as one of the most exciting events of the year as cricket fans were excited to see how the ‘Bazball’ approach fare in Indian conditions in front of an all-round Indian attack. Two matches have taken place till now and the fans weren’t left disappointed as we witnessed two cracking contests between both the teams with the series level at 1-1 setting up a perfect stage for a hard-fought series.

While the Indian team is marred with injuries and the unavailability of their key players, things are not perfect as well. But the most important issue that they will have to address is the poor form of their premier batter Joe Root. 

Joe Root has been England’s best batter in subcontinent conditions and big runs from his bat are the key to England’s success in India. It’s looking like Root has been swayed by the ‘Bazball’ approach and to be in sync with this approach Root is being overly attacking which has resulted in a string of low scores for him in this test series so far.

Michael Vaughan’s advice to Joe Root

England’s former captain Michael Vaughan has a piece of advice for Root to find his old mojo. Vaughan believes that Root is one of England’s all-time great batter and he does not need to follow the ‘Bazball’ approach as it’s not helping his cause.

He says that Joe Root has scored more than 10,000 runs with his old style and is one of India’s best players of spin, so he should stick with his old approach that has got him so much success in these conditions and leave the ‘Bazball’ to the rest.

Vaughan in his column in The Telegraph wrote, “They are in fifth gear from ball one, I don’t mind some of them playing like that because they are better for it. But Joe Root should forget it. He has 10,000 Test runs playing like Joe Root. He doesn’t need to be a Bazballer.

“It is time for someone in the management to put an arm around Joe and say “please just be yourself”. I think it’s as simple as the fact that he is too wrapped up in Bazball, the whole ethos of excitement and entertainment."

‘Root is the best player of spin’, says Vaughan

This is particularly important against spin. Along with Graham Gooch, Root is the best player of spin England has ever produced. To see him bat the way he did in the second innings, that’s not Root, and it’s not the way England are going to win in India, just gifting wickets away.”