India’s recent victory in the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur drew widespread applause for their Aggressive Batting Approach. Despite facing setbacks with two and a half days lost to rain, India managed to secure a convincing seven-wicket win on the final day. The team’s bold approach caught the attention of former England captain Michael Vaughan, who compared it to England’s well-known “Bazball” style of play.
Vaughan’s “Bazball” Remark and Its Impact for Aggressive Batting Approach
Michael Vaughan took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to comment on India’s attacking gameplay, saying, “I see India are playing Bazball,” a reference to the aggressive batting philosophy England has adopted under coach Brendon McCullum. McCullum’s nickname, “Baz,” inspired the term “Bazball,” symbolizing England’s carefree, high-risk, high-reward batting strategy.
Vaughan’s comment stirred conversations across the cricketing world, but it also sparked criticism. Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar, in a column for The Hindu, took aim at some of the experts who were quick to align India’s approach with England’s, without recognizing the unique evolution under Indian captain Rohit Sharma.
Gavaskar’s Take on India’s Batting Style
In his column, Gavaskar criticized the tendency to label India’s batting in reference to “Bazball.” He noted how modern terminologies often lazily copy older concepts. Gavaskar remarked, “Just as any scandal is called this-gate or that-gate after the Watergate scandal, this Indian batting approach was labelled this-ball and that-ball after the term ‘Bazball’.”
Gavaskar praised Indian skipper Rohit Sharma for his influence on the team’s dynamic batting, arguing that Rohit’s leadership has been pivotal in transforming India’s approach. Gavaskar suggested that credit should go to Rohit, rather than attributing it to a coach who has only been in charge for a short period.
The Role of Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir
While some commentators referred to India’s approach as “Bossball,” crediting the captain’s role, others pointed to coach Gautam Gambhir, dubbing it “Gamball.” Gavaskar, however, dismissed the idea of associating the new batting style with Gambhir, stating, “Gambhir has only been coaching for a couple of months, so attributing this approach to him is foot-licking of the highest quality.”
He argued that Rohit Sharma had been playing in this aggressive manner for years and had been encouraging his team to do the same. Gavaskar added, “If any credit is due, it is solely to Rohit and nobody else.”
A Call for a New Name
In a lighter tone, Gavaskar proposed a fresh term for India’s style of play, suggesting that it be called the “Gohit” approach, using Rohit’s name as a nod to his leadership. He expressed hope that cricket analysts would avoid lazily copying terms like “Bazball” and come up with a more fitting name for India’s aggressive, attacking strategy.
India’s evolving gameplay continues to spark discussions on the global stage, with many experts recognizing Rohit Sharma’s critical role in shaping the team’s bold, fearless style.
