Since Joe Root‘s form in the Test series against India has been impacted by the ‘Bazball’ method, former England opener Sir Geoffrey Boycott expressed regret for it. The right-hander batter Joe Root is typically a busy and composed player at the crease, but England’s unduly aggressive style has forced him outside of his comfort zone, according to the former player.
On Monday, the fourth day of the second Test in Visakhapatnam, Root—who hasn’t yet found his game in the series—was dismissed for playing one shot too many. After hitting two boundaries in nine deliveries, the Yorkshire batsman was removed from the game by Ravichandran Ashwin as he attempted to go for another over at mid-wicket.
Jasprit Bumrah has dismissed Joe Root eight times in Test cricket, including twice in the current series, demonstrating his particular lack of ability. With a maximum score of just 29, the former skipper has only managed two single-figure scores in four innings during the series.
Bazball cost Joe Root his wicket- Sir Geoffrey Boycott on Joe Root’s Dismissal
India used Joe Root’s wicket to their advantage to level the series, and it was crucial. Boycott stated in his Telegraph column that Root should play to his abilities and that he shouldn’t try to play aggressively right away.
“Bazball cost Joe Root his wicket. As soon as he came in, he was dancing down the pitch trying to hit over the top and very soon swiped it up in the air. He only scored 16,” he said.
“England’s best technical batsman is normally a busy player who scores at a good rate, but trying to go after the bowling as soon as he comes in takes him out of his comfort zone,” he added.
There is no substitute for runs – Sir Geoffrey Boycott
Ben Stokes may argue differently, but Boycott concurred with Sir Alastair Cook’s recent assessment of Joe Root’s confidence in his ability to fit into England’s current squad:
“It sounds great to the public and good copy for our media when Stokes says we will chase down any target, and Sir Alastair Cook wouldn’t get in this team. That is nonsense,”
Boycott criticized the lack of support from other squad members despite opener Zak Crawley’s impressive exploits, which included twin 70s in both innings. He advised the team to play with a positive attitude and common sense, offering a well-rounded strategy that takes into account the opponents, the environment, and the significance of forming partnerships.
“Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett are doing well and have plenty of time left in their careers to become even better. But, at the moment, there is no way they are better than Cook, and he did right to reply that his weight of runs would have earned him a place in this team. There is no substitute for runs,”
A 10-day break will allow England to reflect on their performance in Vizag in order to mount a strong comeback in the series before the third Test in Rajkot.