Former England opener and recent ICC Hall of Famer Alastair Cook expressed his admiration for England’s aggressive and positive ‘Bazball’ style of cricket under Test captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, stating that he has never seen a team push the boundaries as much as the current England side.
Cook traveled to the UAE for his induction into the ICC Hall of Fame, where he and his family also attended the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final between New Zealand and South Africa, which New Zealand won.
In an interview with the ICC, Cook noted the significant progress in Test cricket, emphasizing that the shift towards an aggressive style first occurred in one-day cricket, particularly when Eoin Morgan led England after 2015. He credited Ben Stokes with changing the mentality of what was achievable in Test cricket.
A recent example of England’s bold approach was in the first Test against Pakistan, where they posted a massive 823/7 in their first innings, with Harry Brook’s 317 making him the second-fastest triple centurion in history, reaching the milestone in just 310 balls.
For Cook, what sets this England team apart is the sheer number of players who adopt an aggressive style. However, he reminded fans that such feats aren’t entirely new, referencing past fast-scoring players like Virender Sehwag, who holds the record for the fastest triple century, achieved off 278 balls against South Africa in 2008 at Chennai.
“We should not forget there were some past players who were also belligerent run-scorers as well,” Cook said.
“I think Harry Brook joined Sehwag with his 300, and Sehwag’s didn’t come off too many balls either. I just think I have never seen a team push the boundaries quite as much as this England team have done.”
He acknowledged that while there have been quick-scoring teams in the past, none have matched the speed and willingness of this current England side.
“I am all for embracing it, and that is why I am saying comparing generations and comparing different times of cricket is very hard to do. But I do think we are seeing more players willing to put the bowlers under more pressure in red-ball cricket. I think ultimately, it is about runs scored and the end product,” he concluded.
Cook was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame alongside Neetu David and AB de Villiers.
With the series tied 1-1, the final Test between England and Pakistan will begin in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
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Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
