England players need to look upon themselves and should stop hiding behind bazball: Nasser Hussain

Former England skipper Nasser Hussain is disappointed with the team’s batting performance in the ongoing India tour. Ever since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum (head coach) took over the charge of the Test side, the team has played an aggressive brand of cricket in the longest format of the game, but their tactics didn’t work against India, as they are currently trailing 3-1 in the series. In the ongoing series finale at Dharamsala, the Stokes-led side once again struggled with the bat as they were bundled out for just 218 in the first innings.

Voicing his concerns over the matter, Hussain stated that the visitors need to look at their own game and stop hiding behind Bazball. He pointed out that opener Zak Crawley is getting good starts but failed to convert those and the same can be said for Jonny Bairstow, whose counter-attacking cricket only helped him score 199 runs so far. 

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“I think with the batting approach, England players need to look at their own games and try to improve. Whatever is your plan, whatever your coach or captain says, the best players, the greatest players like Ravichandran Ashwin, they try to improve, they try to get better,” said the Chennai-born on Sky Sports.

Ben Stokes has hardly contributed with the bat: Hussain

The former cricketer also pointed out that the visiting batters have struggled with the bat, and the conditions had very little part to play in this. He added that skipper Stokes barely contributed with the bat as he failed to read Kuldeep Yadav, who has been a match-winner for the hosts in the ongoing series.

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“Zak Crawley has batted better but has been out between 50-80 the sixth time, Jonny Bairstow trying to counterattack getting to twenty-thirty and getting out. Ben Stokes has not been able to read Kuldeep Yadav from the wrist, he has hardly contributed with the bat. The struggle is real with the bat not the conditions.

“Whatever coach, skipper or anyone suggests, the most important suggestion is for England batters to look upon themselves rather than listening to others. Hopefully, by the end of the tour, England players will look upon themselves and will stop hiding behind bazball,” the former cricketer added.