World Cricket has unearthed its new pastime niche, it’s neither batting, bowling or fielding – it’s overexaggeration or call it overreacting. You win a series and they’ll hail you as a messiah. Lose one and you’re suddenly the ‘most wanted’ criminal. But Bazball has experienced both antipodes. There was a time when Bazball were the flagbearers of ‘modern cricket’ but as of today Bazball is dead and it is being mourned as the death of something everyone had foreseen.
The Honeymoon Period
To start, everything was quite whimsical, and it was like everyone finally felt liberated after being suffocated with one win in 17 tests. But one thing is undeniable: Bazball did make everyone turn their heads and watch. A statement 3-0 whitewash against the Kiwis with a Jonny Bairstow masterclass, followed by a massive win over India, chasing down their highest-ever test total. And then another 2-1 series victory over South Africa. The same year, in December, England marked their first-ever tour to Pakistan in 17 years with another dominant 3-0 clean sweep. Everything started off really well, and the public was convinced that this might actually be the way forward.
The First Crack In The Pavement
Fresh off a marvellous run of 9 out of 10 wins in 2022, the Bazballers were having the time of their lives. But that’s when the first reality check hit them in Wellington 2023 after enforcing the follow-on. That was the first time this ‘fearless approach’ backfired on a big stage yet the Bazballers refused to bend an inch. Ben Stokes was adamant that he would do the same again (enforcing the follow-on).
Fast forward to the Test summer of 2023, England found themselves in a similar situation. First day of the Ashes, with numerous eyes glued to their screens all around the world, and Stokes pulled off the most Ben Stokes move ever. Declaration at 393 with Joe Root unbeaten at 118, seeing the ball as big as a beach ball. Arrogance, bravery, hubris? Call it whatever you want but it was undeniably audacious at that time. Millions criticized while just as many rejoiced all because it was unorthodox, innovative and ‘fun’.
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Ultimately, the series ended up 2-2 and another year passed when England saw the Aussies take the urn back to their own homeland. But hey, we can claim a ‘moral victory’, right? After all, we beat the World Test Championship winners, no?
These subtle happenings went unnoticed because back then everyone believed that there was no harm in losing a game to bold decisions because taking risks was applauded in this new era and you were hailed for it.
Lost In Translation: How India And Pakistan Exposed England To Fatal Trouble
Moving forward to 2024, England were bombarded with another challenge – an away India series. Starting off with a sublime victory conquering the Hyderabad fortress, Bazball announced itself in the subcontinent once again. But what started off well ended in a bizarre situation. The hosts fought back quickly to clinch the 5-match series 4-1.
Raising questions around England’s hasty approach – were they too reckless? Or should they have been more defensive? Should they have more batters like Joe Root who can play spin well in subcontinent conditions? But it’s okay. It’s the first time they’ve been up against a team that has almost a flawless record on their home soil, so we can just let this slide under the rug.
Rolling the tape forward, fresh off series wins against relatively weaker opponents – Sri Lanka and West Indies. By now, everyone must’ve forgotten the shambolic 4-1 loss, right? And yes, that’s exactly how things unfolded.
Another whitewash against Pakistan and people would probably brush off the fact that England were unable to defeat the two giants of world cricket – India and Australia. But you know the funniest thing about life is how it hits you in ways you could not have imagined. Pakistan had an incredible meal ready for the colonisers, seasoned with the same spices they took from the subcontinent at the time of partition.
Another series defeat and another head loss. This time, Pakistan! Who would have imagined? Or did England get done by their arrogance this time? Whatever the case, now people are beginning to question if England require a change in management. And now is the time when reality is slowly starting to settle in.
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Final Nail In The Coffin
The rotting of the dead body had started long ago but England’s Ashes defeat to Australia in 2025 was the final nail in the coffin for Bazball. This was their last chance to prove that their approach was sustainable but by that time the public had already lost all hope. And the result was yet again the same, similar to the defeat India handed them previously. England had burnt all the ships and at this point there was no way back.
The Funeral
It all came to a bleak end in June 2026 against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. The exact place where the ‘revolution’ began 4 years ago. Stokes announced his retirement mid-game, and England started collapsing one by one like clockwork. Who could’ve guessed? Reactionary? Resentment? Arrogance? Guess we’ll never know because England Cricket are pretty smart at sugarcoating things.
What’s Next For England Cricket?
Let’s wake up to reality. Ben Stokes is gone. Bazball is finished. However the communication gap between Ben Stokes and England management persists. Stokes has stated that he is unable to decode the message being sent to Harry Brook – who is already England’s test vice captain – by overlooking him for the leadership role.
Contrarily, England selector Mark North believes that Brook should not be overburdened with test captaincy as he is already captaining England in the white-ball formats.
Ultimately, whether anyone likes it or not, we are back in the Joe Root Era but this time with a new coach: Stephen Fleming. England return to their ever-reliable safety net – the answer to every problem who is now back in the reign. Both Root and Fleming are expected to lead England to next year’s Ashes too.
Final Word
If I were to summarise, was Bazball applicable or worth it? I would say it was short and sweet. It was chaotic, fun and exhilarating in the start but gradually we kept dwelling deep into the ditch. Bazball was fearless but stubborn and careless at times. It refused to bend to the circumstances, which was arrogant and impractical. It ended up drawing the curtain for legends like Jimmy Anderson. It has now made us stand at the same place where we were a few years ago, with Joe Root being England captain. We don’t know if this decision will cost him as well. All we can do is live for the hope of it all.
Read more by the author:
The Art of Defying The Impossible: Farewell, Benjamin Andrew Stokes
