Rahul Dravid’s Verdict on Bazball: Would He Be Picked for England?

Rahul Dravid’s Verdict on Bazball: Would He Be Picked for England?

Indian cricket legend Rahul Dravid opined that he might not be picked into a red-ball side if current English skipper Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum are handling the team.

The England Team’s Approach Under Brendon McCullum

The England team has seen some massive changes in approach ever since Brendon McCullum’s arrival, but in recent times, they have lost more matches, especially against tough opposition like India and Australia.

While some have been impressed with this approach, some have criticised it loudly, but not many have had a very stable stand in the evolving structure of Test cricket, like former Indian star Rahul Dravid.

Rahul Dravid’s Defensive Playing Style

Rahul Dravid is regarded as the ‘Wall’ of Indian cricket. Dravid was given this title following a stellar career where he would tire the bowlers out with his defensive work rate.

However, modern-day Test cricket includes teams like England, which have a very different approach towards the game. Dravid claimed that had it been under Brendon McCullum’s coaching and Ben Stokes’ leadership, he would have never made it to the Test XI.

Dravid’s Thoughts on Bazball

‘Probably not,’ Dravid said in an interview with the Telegraph, with a chuckle, when asked whether he would be picked for England under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes.

The term ‘Bazball’ was not given to England by Brendon McCullum, and Dravid revealed that the former New Zealand star has never been elated with the terminology.

‘It’s hard for me to answer that one. I don’t know. Sometimes I feel a little bit for McCullum because in my little bit of interaction and conversation with him, I don’t think he really likes the term ‘Bazball’,’ Dravid said.

‘I think the way England plays the game is really exciting; there’s no doubt that the game is going in that direction,’ Dravid said. ‘As a tactic, I have no problem with people being aggressive and leaving the game on, because I think the young players want to play in that fashion.’

The Importance of Balance in Test Cricket

Rahul Dravid reckoned that ‘balance’ is the key factor for any Test team, and England, despite their aggressive brand of Test cricket, should gel it with some balance, which can see them off to formidable victories.

‘The only thing is to have a balance as to recognise that in certain conditions against certain opposition, after you’ve gone ahead, maybe you might need to control the game a little bit better and control the tempo of the game a little bit better,’ Dravid said.

Dravid recalled the series between England and India when the English travelled to the eastern part of the world. England had lost that series, but Dravid claimed that the English stars played a fine hand, despite not being able to finish on a promising note.

‘If you’re ahead against good teams, you can’t leave the door open. If it gives them a chance to come back, then they can eventually hurt you. And they just haven’t been able to take the game completely away from good sides. If you don’t do that, good teams can come back—and then they don’t give you a chance when they’re ahead,’ Dravid said.