Rohit Sharma needs to be more aggressive as a batter: Kapil Dev cites ‘Bazball’ as example

World Cup-winning former India captain Kapil Dev has urged Rohit Sharma and his Indian Test side to play a more aggressive brand of Test cricket, expressing his admiration for the brand of cricket England played. Kapil expressed he is a fan of the much-talked-about Bazball that the England cricket team have made popular.

While England staged an incredible fightback to bounce back from 0-2 down to make it 2-2 in the fiercely fought 5-Test Ashes series, but India missed out on an opportunity to beat West Indies in a rain-marred 2nd Test in Port of Spain.

“Bazball is wonderful. The series between England and Australia was one of the finest series I have seen in recent times. I think cricket should be played like that. Rohit is good. But he must be more aggressive,” Kapil Dev told The Times of India.

The legendary all-rounder said most teams should adopt a similar approach and look for results in Test cricket.

“You have to think about how teams like England play now. And it’s not just us. All cricket-playing countries have to think on those lines. Winning the game should be the highest priority (not play for draws) for all teams,” he added.

Despite starting the Ashes series on a backfoot with a 0-2 deficit against Australia, the English side refused to be daunted. Instead, they embraced their Bazball ideology, which encourages players to seize every scoring opportunity and exert pressure on the bowlers.

The fourth Test at Old Trafford was a testament to this approach. England’s opener Zak Crawley played a bold innings of 189 runs off just 182 balls, hitting 21 fours and three sixes. His aggressive batting, coupled with a bit of luck, set the tone for England’s comeback. Similarly, Joe Root, England’s premier batsman, struck a solid 84 from 95 balls, demonstrating his prowess and commitment to the team’s cause.

England’s wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow also stepped up, scoring a phenomenal 99 not out from just 81 balls, hitting 10 fours and four sixes. His performance was a clear reflection of the Bazball philosophy, as he continued to dispatch deliveries into the stand, seemingly at will, despite Australia’s defensive field placements.

The bowling department was equally impressive. Chris Woakes and Mark Wood were instrumental in changing the course of the series. Woakes took five wickets in the first innings at Old Trafford, while Wood’s express pace left the Australian batsmen bamboozled.