IND vs ENG 5th Test: Bazball EXPLAINED, the new brand of cricket England are playing under Brendon McCullum

India vs England 5th Test: If you have been following the fifth and last Test match between India and England, you must have heard the term 'Bazball'. This term has been used by the commentators on TV and the fans while discussing the Test match on Twitter and other social media platforms. England's assistant coach Paul Collingwood again used the term, while praising Rishabh Pant's blistering knock in the first innings of the same Test at Edgbaston. He said that the way Pant batted, he came out play a bit of Bazball. But what is this term, you must be wondering? So let us explain that for your, in order to find more context. 

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What is Bazball?

"Pant came out to play a bit of Bazball as everyone keeps calling it. When you have a bit of moisture in the pitch early on, you have a chance to take early wickets, which is what we did. We're going against the grain of much of the cricket that's been played over the last 100 years... We are trying to play as positive as possible, and play entertaining cricket. Ben (Stokes) is not going to take a backwards step," Collingwood had said.

England Test cricket's new era under Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes begins on a high note by clean sweeping World Test Champions New Zealand pic.twitter.com/77TbW2LGqK

— Utkarsh / Cricket is love _ (@cricketfan__) June 27, 2022

Bazball is a term coined by the England team. It points to the aggressive and entertaining brand of cricket that England are aimed at playing in Test matches under their new coach Brendon McCullum. McCullum, popularly nicknamed as Baz from his playing days, used to bat with the same approach, that is to attack and make runs and put bowlers under pressure. Under his captaincy, the New Zealand Test team reached newer heights. He also thrived as captain as it made him a better batter. 

As the head coach of the England men's side, McCullum brought the same approach with him and applied it in the first Test series as coach vs New Zealand. The hosts blanked the Black Caps 3-0 and the 'Bazball' talks picked up from there. In the second innings of the 2nd Test, captain Stokes and Jonny Bairstow smashed over 150 runs in 16 overs to chase down a total. That was 'Bazball' cricket, something which Stokes said they will continue to play in the Test vs India and the future Tests too.