Jasprit Bumrah's blunt take on England's 'Bazball' approach ahead of 1st Test

Team India will be hosting England for a 5-match Test series. The Men in Blue have won 16 consecutive series at home, the last time they lost a series back in 2012-13 and the Three Lions were the team to beat them at home. The first test is scheduled for 25th January. Ahead of the first test star batter Virat Kohli has opted out from the first two games stating personal reasons. 

England's Test approach has been a little different from the other sides. They played an aggressive brand of cricket after they appointed Brendon McCullum as their head coach and named it 'Bazball'. But they have been similarly criticised for that often and ahead of the first game, star India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has dropped a shocking comment about England's approach.

Bumrah claimed that the aggressive style of cricket will help him stay in the game since the batters are more likely to make mistakes while they tend to score runs quickly. The bowler also stated that, while he does not relate to Bazball, it has demonstrated a different method of playing Test cricket. He also opened up about the heartbreak in the Cricket World Cup 2023 final where India was defeated by Australia. 

I don't really relate: Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah stated Guardian, "I don't really relate to the term Bazball. But they are playing successful cricket and the aggressive route of taking the opposition on, showing the world there's another way to play Test cricket. As a bowler, what I think is that it keeps me in play. And if they're going for it, playing so fast, they won't tire me out, I could get heaps [of wickets]. I always think about how I can use things to my advantage. Kudos to them but, as a bowler, you're in the game."

"I was at home, we'd won every game … you can't just say it's part of the game. It hurt. And it should hurt; we worked very hard, played good cricket. It's not ideal but that's the job, you have to move on … in six months there's another [T20] World Cup. Some days, the big days, it's meant to be and it will happen. You can't get to the final if you're not that good. It did hurt for a few days."