Siraj fires shots at England before 1st Test: ‘Match will end in a day and a half in India if they play Bazball’
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Siraj said it won't be easy to play 'Bazball' in India and if England try to force their brand of cricket, Test matches might end in one and a half days.
The shots have been fired from the Indian camp ahead of the first Test against England in Hyderabad. Mohammed Siraj said it won't be easy to play 'Bazball' in Indian conditions and if England try to force their attacking brand of cricket, Test matches might end in one and a half days. "If England play Bazball in Indian conditions, the match may get over within a day and a half or two. It’s not easy to hit every time here as the ball turns sometimes and straightens on other occasions. So, I think it’ll be difficult to see Bazball here. But if they play it, it’ll be good for us as the match may get over quickly," Siraj told Jio Cinema ahead of the series opener in Hyderabad.
It is an open challenge to the English side that has sort of taken it upon itself to revolutionise the way Test cricket is played. And they have found success almost everywhere. Under captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, they have bulldozed sides at home. In their first test of Bazball in subcontinent conditions, they walloped Pakistan 3-0 in their own backyard.
But Indian pitches are very different to the placid tracks in Pakistan. Surviving is the need of the hour than going for your shots. Scores are low and spinners call all the shots. On top of that, India are nearly unbeatable at home. The last time they lost a Test series at home was more than a decade ago. Since then, India have kept a clean sheet in the scoreline in every series apart from the odd losses against England and Australia during their last tours.
Since England beat them 1-2 in 2012, India have won 16 successive series at home, including seven series sweeps. If one further breaks down the stats, India have lost just three Tests out of 44 they played in their own backyard in this phase, and this is a power walk even beyond the all-conquering West Indies in the '80s or Australia of the turn of the century.
Like Siraj said, it won't be easy. In fact, it would be the toughest test of Bazball.
England will stick to Bazball
But having said that, there has been no indication from the England team management to suggest they would change their attacking style of cricket. Fast bowler Mark Wood, in fact, said they would stick to Bazball.
"I don't think we will be defensive," Wood said. "I think we'll still look to take the game on. We have to soak up that pressure and create a bit of a theatre or drama on the field and then, when it's time, attack again," 34-year-old Durham fast bowler said.
England coach and former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes have devised an attacking brand of play dubbed "Bazball", in reference to McCullum's nickname.
"We know the challenges here. India very rarely loses at home," he added.
"I think it's almost like a bit of a free hit for us -- where we can come in here and give it a good go, and try something different."
