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India World Cup 2023 Squad Breakdown: Which of these 15-men will make the India 2023 Cricket World Cup XI?

Let’s breakdown India World Cup 2023 squad.

Here is a quick preview: India is going with experience to help them go all the way in this upcoming World Cup.

Let’s dive right in.

Key Takeaways from India World Cup 2023 ODI Squad

  • The average age of India Asia Cup 2023 squad is 32.7. India is going with a squad that has lots of experience but there are a couple of new faces as well. They have youngsters like Shubman Gill (24), and Ishan Kishan (25), On the other end of the spectrum, we have stalwarts like Ravichandran Ashwin (37), Virat Kohli (34) and Rohit Sharma (36).
  • The 15-member India’s World Cup squad has average ODI match experience of 97 ODIs (1449 ODIs among 15 players). Virat Kohli (281), Rohit Sharma (251) & Ravindra Jadeja (186) are their most experienced players.
  • India’s squad composition is as follows: 7 proper batters (0 part time bowlers), 4 all-rounders, and 4 proper bowling options. In total, India has 8 bowling options (1 off spin, 1 left arm spin, 1 left arm wrist spin, and 5 right arm pace) in their squad if absolutely needed. India do not have a leg-spinner or left arm pace bowler.
  • India has 2 left-handed batting options (Kishan) and two wicketkeeping options.

India Cricket World Cup Team at a Glance

PlayerRoleAge
Rohit SharmaBatter36
Shubman GillBatter24
Ishan KishanBatter/Wicketkeeper25
Virat KohliBatter34
Shreyas IyerBatter28
KL RahulBatter/Wicketkeeper31
Tilak Verma**Batter/Part-time off spin21
Suryakumar YadavBatter33
Hardik PandyaAll-Rounder/Right Arm Pace29
Ravindra JadejaAll-Rounder/Left Arm Spin34
Axar Patel*All-Rounder/Left Arm Spin29
Shardul ThakurAll-Rounder/Right Arm Pace31
Kuldeep YadavLeft Arm Wrist28
Jasprit BumrahRight Arm Pace29
Mohammad ShamiRight Arm Pace33
Mohammad SirajRight Arm Pace29
Prasidh Krishna**Right Arm Pace27
Ravichandran AshwinAll-Rounder/Right Arm Spin37
Sanju Samson**Batter/Wicketkeeper28

*injured, withdrawn from the squad

**not picked in the final squad

Also Read:

India Cricket World Cup 2023 Potential XI

  1. Rohit Sharma (C)
  2. Shubman Gill
  3. Virat Kohli
  4. Shreyas Iyer
  5. KL Rahul
  6. Ravindra Jadeja
  7. Hardik Pandya
  8. Ravichandran Ashwin/Shardul Thakur (depending on condiions)
  9. Kuldeep Yadav
  10. Mohammad Siraj
  11. Jasprit Bumrah

Injury News

  • Rishabh Pant is indefinitely out after a horrific car accident.
  • Axar Patel has been ruled out due to quadriceps strains.
  • KL Rahul has been nursing a back injury since IPL 2023. Shreyas Iyer has been out since the beginning of the year due to a thigh injury. They both returned to the fold.
  • Jasprit Bumrah is returning after a back injury. Prasidh Krishna is returning from a back injury as well. They have both returned, but Krishna did not make it to the final squad.

10 India Players Who Were Unlucky to Miss Out

  • Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Washington Sundar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Deepak Chahar, Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravi Bishnoi

Also Read: Indian Cricket Team Depth: List of Top 75 Players of Indian Cricket

3 Surprise Picks for India’s World Cup Squad

  • Tilak Verma, Mohammad Shami, Prasidh Krishna

How many players were also in India’s 2019 ODI World Cup Squad?

  • 8 (Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammad Shami)

India World Cup 2023 Squad – Complete List of Players

1. Rohit Sharma (C)

Role: Right Hand Bat (Opener)

  • Matches/Innings: 251/243
  • Runs: 10112, Best: 264
  • Average/SR: 48.85/90.52
  • 100/50: 30/52

Recent ODI Form: 12*, 11, 74*, 56, 53, 0, 81

Last ODI: September 27, 2023

Age: 36

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2. Shubman Gill

Role: Right Hand Bat (Opener)

  • Matches/Innings: 35/35
  • Runs: 1917, Best: 208
  • Average/SR: 66.10/102.84
  • 100/50: 6/9

Recent ODI Form: 10, 67*, 58, 19, 121, 27*, 74, 104

Last ODI: September 24, 2023

Age: 24

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3. Ishan Kishan (WK)

Role: Left Hand Bat/Wicketkeeper

  • Matches/Innings: 25/22
  • Runs: 886, Best: 210
  • 100/50: 1/7
  • Average/SR: 44.30/102.42
  • Catches/Stumpings: 13/2

Recent ODI Form: 82, 33, 5, 23*, 18, 31

Last ODI: September 24, 2023

Age: 25

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4. Virat Kohli

Role: Right Hand Bat

  • Matches/Innings: 281/269
  • Runs: 13083, Best: 183
  • Average/SR: 57.38/93.78
  • 6100/50: 47/65

Recent ODI Form: 4, 122*, 3, 56

Last ODI: September 27, 2023

Age: 34

Also Read:

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5. Shreyas Iyer

Role: Right Hand Bat

  • Matches/Innings: 47/42
  • Runs: 1801, Best: 113*
  • Average/SR: 46.17/97.88
  • 100/50: 3/14

Recent ODI Form: 14, 3, 105, 48

Last ODI: September 27, 2023

Age: 28

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6. KL Rahul (WK)

Role: Right Hand Bat/Wicketkeeper/#5/Occasional Opener

  • Matches/Innings: 61/58
  • Runs: 2291, Best: 112
  • 100/50: 6/15
  • Average/SR: 47.72/87.64
  • Catches/Stumpings: 40/4

Recent ODI Form: 111*, 39, 19, 58*, 52, 26

Last ODI: September 27, 2023

Age: 31

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7. Suryakumar Yadav

Role: Right Hand Bat

  • Matches/Innings: 30/28
  • Runs: 667, Best: 72*
  • 100/50: 0/4
  • Average/SR: 27.79/105.70

Recent ODI Form: 26, 50, 72*, 8

Last ODI: September 27, 2023

Age: 33

Also Read: Is SuryaKumar Yadav the Most Complete 360 Player in T20 Cricket?

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8. Hardik Pandya (VC)

Role: All-Rounder (Right Hand Bat/Right Arm Pace)

  • Matches/Innings: 82/60
  • Runs: 1758, Best: 92*
  • Average/SR: 33.80/1120.21
  • 100/50: 0/11
  • Wickets: 79, Best: 4/24
  • Economy: 5.51

Recent ODI Form: 87, 5 & 1/34, 1/17, 1/14, 3/3

Last ODI: September 17, 2023

Age: 29

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9. Ravichandran Ashwin

Role: All-Rounder (Right Hand Bat/Right Arm Off-Spin)

  • Matches/Innings: 115/63
  • Runs: 707, Best: 65
  • Average/SR: 16.44/86.96
  • 100/50: 0/1
  • Wickets: 155, Best: 4/25
  • Economy: 4.94

Recent ODI Form: 1/47, 3/41

Last ODI: September 24, 2023

Age: 37

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10. Ravindra Jadeja

Role: All-Rounder (Left Arm Spin, Left Hand Bat)

  • Matches/Innings: 186/127
  • Runs: 2636, Best: 87
  • Average/SR: 32.14/84.43
  • 100/50: 0/13
  • Wickets: 204, Best: 5/36
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 7/1
  • Economy: 4.92

Recent ODI Form: 14, 4, 7, 3*, 13*, 35 & 3/40, 0/26, 2/33, 1/53, 1/51, 3/42, 0/61

Last ODI: September 27, 2023

Age: 34

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11. Axar Patel *

*injured, withdrawn from the tournament

Role: All-Rounder (Left Arm Spin/ Left Hand Bat)

  • Matches/Innings: 52/32
  • Runs: 513, Best: 64*
  • Average/SR: 18.77/102.48
  • 100/50: 0/2
  • Wickets: 58, Best: 3/24
  • Economy: 4.51

Recent ODI Form: 21, 2*, 29*, 2, 1 & 1/16, 0/25, 2/57, 0/4

Last ODI: July 29, 2023

Age: 29

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12. Shardul Thakur

Role: All-Rounder (Right Arm Pace/Right Hand Bat)

  • Matches/Innings: 44/43
  • Runs: 329, Best: 50*
  • Average/SR: 17.31/105.11
  • 100/50: 0/1
  • Wickets: 63, Best: 4/37
  • Economy: 6.24

Recent ODI Form: 1, 16, 3, 11 & 1/14, 3/42, 4/37, 1/26, 1/16, 3/65, 0/78, 0/35

Last ODI: September 24, 2023

Age: 31

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13. Kuldeep Yadav

Role: Left Arm Wrist Spin

  • Matches/Innings: 90/87
  • Wickets: 152, Best: 6/25
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 7/2
  • Economy: 5.13

Recent ODI Form: 0/34, 5/25, 4/43, 0/1, 2/48

Last ODI: September 27, 2023

Age: 28

Embed from Getty Images Embed

14. Jasprit Bumrah

Role: Right Arm Pace

  • Matches/Innings: 78/77
  • Wickets: 129, Best: 6/19
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 5/2
  • Economy: 4.67

Recent ODI Form: 1/18, 2/30, 1/23, 1/43, 3/81

Last ODI: September 27, 2023

Age: 29

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15. Mohammad Shami

Role: Right Arm Pace

  • Matches/Innings: 94/93
  • Wickets: 171, Best: 5/51
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 9/2
  • Economy: 5.57

Recent ODI Form: 1/29, 2/32, 5/51, 1/39

Last ODI: September 24, 2023

Age: 33

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16. Mohammad Siraj

Role: Right Arm Pace

  • Matches/Innings: 30/29
  • Wickets: 54, Best: 6/21
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 2/1
  • Economy: 4.87

Recent ODI Form: 3/61, 0/23, 1/17, 6/21, 1/68

Last ODI: September 27, 2023

Age: 29

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17. Prasidh Krishna**

**not picked in the final World Cup squad

Role: Right Arm Pace

  • Matches/Innings: 14/14
  • Wickets: 25, Best: 4/12
  • 4-fer/5-fer: 2/0
  • Economy: 5.32

Recent ODI Form: 0/48, 0/62, 1/30, 3/50, 1/28

Last ODI: August 20, 2022

Age: 27

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18. Sanju Samson **

**Not picked in the final WC squad

Role: Right Hand Bat/Wicketkeeper

  • Matches/Innings: 13/12
  • Runs: 390, Best: 86*
  • 100/50: 0/3
  • Average/SR: 55.71/104.00
  • Catches/Stumpings: 7/2

Recent ODI Form: 86*, 30*, 2*, 36, 9, 51

Last ODI: August 1, 2023

Age: 28

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7. Tilak Verma **

**Not picked in the final WC squad

Role: Left Hand Bat/Right Arm Off spin

*Has not yet debuted in ODIs, played 7 T20Is

List A Record

  • Matches/Innings: 25/25
  • Runs: 1236, Best: 156*
  • 100/50: 5/5
  • Average/SR: 56.18/101.64

Age: 21

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Final Thoughts

Usually with India’s squads, you have a feeling of how the campaign is going to go.

This time, I cannot really say. With an overkill of cricket, ODIs have been squeezed out of the ODI calendar.

Add to that, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna are just coming out of injury, Tilak Verma has not played a single ODI, and Shami hasn’t played for a while. At the same time, there is discussion about who didnt’t make the squad, Yuzvendra Chahal & one of the off-spin options.

This is still a great squad, with a mix of youth & experience. My only concern is the lack of match time, recurring injuries, and relative instability.

But with home advantage, you never know. Can India repeat the magic of 2011? Have your say in the comments below!

Sources: Press Release – Cricinfo

Related ODI World Cup Articles

If you liked this article, be sure to check some of the other World Cup content:

Frequently Asked Questions – India World Cup 2023 Squad

What is the average age of India’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad?

The average age of India Asia Cup 2023 squad is 32.7. India is going with a squad that has lots of experience but there are a couple of new faces as well. They have youngsters like Shubman Gill (24), and Ishan Kishan (25), On the other end of the spectrum, we have stalwarts like Virat Kohli (34) and Rohit Sharma (36).

Who is selected for India’s 2023 Cricket World Cup and India Asia Cup 2023 squad?

Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (WK), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammad Shami, Mohammad Siraj, and Suryakumar Yadav made it in India’s 2023 Cricket World Cup squad.India World Cup 2023 Squad: (From left to right) Pictured - Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja

Can India win the 2023 ODI World Cup?

Yes, India can win the 2023 ODI World Cup if they make full use of home conditions and home injuries do not occur anymore.

Will Bumrah play the 2023 ODI World Cup?

Yes, it seems that Jasprit Bumrah has recovered from his injury and will play in the 2023 ODI Cricket World Cup. Bumrah has been selected for the 2023 Asia Cup squad.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, LLC 2023. Originally published on 08/19/2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

What is Bazball? The Official Definition of Bazball is…

What is Bazball in cricket? Bazball is a fresh aggressive approach coined for England’s new Test coach, Brendon McCullum, whose nickname is ‘Baz.’

Why are we discussing Bazball in cricket in 2022?

Since captain Ben Stokes & McCullum took over, England cricket team’s record in Test match format has been astonishing: WWWWLWWWWW. This includes seven wins at home against New Zealand, India, & South Africa and 3 away wins in Pakistan. The manner of victory has been even more mind boggling—An innings victory and six wins with 5 wickets or more.

When you type ‘Bazball’ in Google Trends, you get this image below. With England’s astonishing consecutive fourth innings chases in Test match cricket, especially with the 378 against India, no wonder that interest in this term has really, really piqued in the last few days.

But what in the world is Bazball? Can someone be Bazballing? Could you become a Bazballer? Is it a noun, verb, adjective, or all of the above?

Don’t worry, be happy.

Today, we will help you out and try to answer this exact answer—The who, what, where, when, and how of Bazball!

Picture of Google Trends for the word, 'Bazball.'

Table of Contents

Definition of Bazball | Bazball Meaning

While writing this unofficially official definition of Bazball, we took inspiration from the Merriam-Webster dictionary. We make an honest attempt here to write this definition similar dictionary format—part of speech (noun, verb, adjective, etc.), phonetic pronunciation, variants, examples, and more!

Bazball
noun | b-aa-zzz-böl
variants: Bazballing, Bazballer, Bazballed, The Bazball Effect
1. The purpose and intent of Bazball is to completely annihilate the opposition, abruptly change the tide of a game, and bring an uneasy calm before a surprising storm, all without sacrificing the inner innocence and amusement of a three-year-old child.
1b. Note, the prerequisite of Bazballing is the existence of a Bairstow and the ability to display aggression without displaying aggression.
1c. The Bazball Effect is largely a cricketing phenomenon but is not limited to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I know, I know. This sounds too complicated. As conveyed in Bollywood’s 3 Idiots in the acclaimed “What is a Machine” scene, sometimes a simple definition does justice.

So, in simple terms, what is Bazball? Brave, Brash, and lots of Bairstow.

11 Examples of Bazball

  1. England selecting Rob Key, a former English cricketer and commentator with zero administrative experience, as the Managing Director of the English Cricket Team and choosing Brendon McCullum (zero first-class coaching experience) as the head coach of the England Test team.
  2. England captain Ben Stokes declaring on Day 1 with a score of 393/8 on a flat deck with Joe Root still 118*
  3. England team chasing 279/5 in 78.5 overs (RR 3.53) in the 4th innings of a Test match
  4. Not dropping Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad
  5. Jonny Bairstow scoring 136 in 92 balls and once again, England chasing 299 in 50 overs (RR 5.98) with 5 wickets remaining
  6. Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell scoring 4 centuries and 5 half-centuries between them, not giving up, and giving England a taste of their own medicine
  7. Jonny Bairstow smashing 162 (157) and 71* (44) and yet again, England chasing 296 in 54.2 overs (RR 5.44) with 7 wickets in hand
  8. Jasprit Bumrah scoring 35 runs off one Stuart Broad over
  9. JB bulldozing 106 & 114* runs and England chasing 378/3 in the 4th innings of a Test match with 7 wickets remaining
  10. Virat Kohli sledging Jonny Bairstow to wake up the sleeping beast
  11. Joe Root being Joe Root (737 runs, 2 wickets, and player of series vs India. Now at 10458 runs and 28 Test centuries)

Different Interpretations of the Bazball

Well, don’t take my word for it. Every word has several interpretations based on the circumstance. Here are three of my favorite interpretations of Bazball.

1. The Eagle (Hindi)

In the Indian language of Hindi, Baaz means Eagle—a majestic bird that hunts its prey. Highly focused, always gets to the target.

Cannot think of a better metaphor for Bazball to be honest. The Baz meaning in Hindi aptly describes the true essence of Bazball.

2. Sanjay Manjrekar on Rishabh Pant

Well, is Bazball an original creation? The first time that cricket has experienced this feeling?

No, definitely not. We have seen this before.

As Sanjay Manjrekar states, we don’t need to look any further than Rishabh Pant.

3. Can You Use It in a Sentence?

In a Spelling Bee, a contestant can ask for usage in a sentence to further understand the word. Our next example doubles up as an interpretation and also satisfies the “Can You Use It in a Sentence?” segment (Don’t know what I am referring to? Watch this hilarious Jimmy Kimmel Spelling Bee segment).

There have been several interpretations of Bazball floating around on the internet, but my favorite by far, has been Andrew Fidel Fernando’s interpretation. Here is an excerpt:

“When a fielder sledges you and you sledge them back with runs. That’s Bazball. When you are so intent on showing respect to the opposition’s bowlers you walk down the track, clear your front leg, and respect them repeatedly into the sightscreen. That’s Bazball. When an old lady needs help crossing the street, but instead of walking her across you fire her from a cannon all the way into her house. Definitely Bazball…When something has been around for a while, but the rebranding is so strong it seems futuile to resist…perhaps this is also Bazball?

Origins and History of Bazball

Brendon McCullum, affectionately known as Baz, has always been in the forefront of the media.

Whether as a swashbuckling wicketkeeper back in 2002, the unofficial launcher of the Indian Premier League with his 158*, captain supreme of New Zealand’s golden run to the 2015 ODI World Cup Final, Baz has always been there. Rejuvenating Eoin Morgan’s men to ODI overhaul, inventing the BMacDilscoop, retiring on a high with the fastest Test hundred, coaching Trinbago Knight Riders to unbeaten glory, or note-taking KKR’s way out of IPL Playoffs, McCullum is a trendsetter.

But this time, it’s different. Coaching T20s? Fine, but Test matches? Baz has no experience. Questions were tossed. The England cricket team had only won one match in their last 17 Tests. How could they possibly bounce back?

They didn’t just bounce back. They Bazzed back. Whatever that means.

Four wins in four Test matches. Record chases of 250+. They have now brushed aside both of the finalists in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship, New Zealand and India. The Rob Key-Brendon McCullum-Ben Stokes partnership has somehow swayed a magic wand over England and rejuvenated the English fans’ hopes in Test cricket

England are no longer the good guys of world cricket. They are, now the Baz boys….

Brendon McCullum In His Own Words

Here are some snippets of Brendon McCullum from an interview after a 3-0 win over his home nation, New Zealand. When asked about emotion, clarity, keeping it simple, and his general coaching style, he said,

“I try to quieten down some of the noise…Trying to get these guys closer together and try for them to understand their game…give them as much confidence as I can…we can get caught up in a fear of failure…..and I don’t know what Bazball is…don’t know where it came from..[on Jonny] .Go out there and just be yourself. Have your moment…Try to inspire the next generation of Test cricket”

– Brendon McCullum

This has already inspired the likes of Dravid-Ball, Lax-Ball. How far reaching will McCullum’s coaching impact be?

Can Brendon McCullum Fulfill His True Legacy?

Brendon McCullum has won trophies, gained worldwide acclaim, and played memorable innings. He has achieved everything a cricketer can achieve in his or her life.

McCullum has been a lifelong trendsetter. Now only goal remains.

****

Can Brendon McCullum, aka Baz, fulfill his legacy and make the Dictionary?

****

*In order to get an official word in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the usage and citation matters. There are dictionary employees working on a daily basis perusing through publications, articles, online editorials, etc. So basically, if we use Bazball enough, especially in written work, it will one-day, make the dictionary.

Bazball in England Cricket – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Bazball?

The purpose and intent of Bazball is to completely annihilate the opposition, abruptly change the tide of a game, and bring an uneasy calm before a surprising storm, all without sacrificing the inner innocence and amusement of a three-year-old child.
The prerequisite of Bazballing is the existence of a Bairstow and ability to display aggression without displaying aggression.
The Bazball Effect is largely a cricketing phenomenon but is not limited to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.Photo of Ben Stokes, who as formed a good partnership with coach Brendon McCullum to instill the Bazball philosophy.

What are some examples of Bazball?

– England selecting Rob Key, a former English cricketer and commentator with zero administrative experience, as the Managing Director of the English Cricket Team and choosing Brendon McCullum (zero first-class coaching experience) as head coach of the England Test team
– Jonny Bairstow smashing 136 (92), 162 (157), or 71*(44) and England chasing 279/5 in 78.5 overs (RR 3.53), chasing 299 in 50 overs (RR 5.98), or chasing 279/5 in 78.5 overs (RR 3.53) in 4th innings of a Test match.
– Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell scoring 4 centuries and 5 half-centuries between them, not giving up, and giving England a taste of their own medicine
– Jasprit Bumrah scoring 35 runs off one Stuart Broad over
– England scoring 657 in 101 overs with 4 centuries in Rawalpindi against Pakistan on a dead pitch.Photo of Jonny Bairstow, an icon of Bazball philosophy.

Who coined the phrase, ‘Bazball’?

Although the ‘Bazball’ is named for Brendon McCullum, known as ‘Baz,’ he did not coin the term himself. The phrase ‘Bazball’ was created by England cricket fans on social media and commentators.

What is the Bazball approach?

What is Bazball in cricket? Bazball is a fresh aggressive approach coined for England’s new Test coach, Brendon McCullum, whose nickname is ‘Baz.’Photo of Brendon McCullum, also known as Baz, during England cricket team's coaching practice.

© Copyright @Nitesh Mathur and Broken Cricket Dreams, 2021. Originally published on 07/07/2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Broken Cricket Dreams with appropriate and specific direction to the original content (i.e. linked to the exact post/article).

Think About It: India Are So Bad That They Are Actually Good

As acclaimed twentieth century writer Khalil Gibran once remarked, “Exaggeration is truth that has lost its temper.”

India’s improbable victory in the 4th Test sent social media into frenzy. There were claims of it being the ‘greatest Test team’ going around or the ‘best Indian Test team.’ Although there is subtle merit to these claims, I argue that this is just an over exaggeration of the ground reality.

How Good Are Team India?

There is no doubt that the Indian cricket team has flourished in the 21st century. With a thriving cricketing culture, robust recruitment setup throughout the country, monetary power in the hands of the BCCI with the advent of the IPL, and a prospering India A system, India has the greatest depth and resources available.

The rise of Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Suryakumar Yadav, and Ishan Khan across formats in less than six months attests to this claim.

Overseas Victories

India came back from 0-1 to seal the Border-Gavaskar series 2-1. Stories galore and the legend of this series will carry in the minds of fans forever. Similarly, a defeat in the third Test against England did not faze India. In the 4th Test, a 99-run deficit was overcome via valiant century by Rohit Sharma and memorable contributions in both innings by Shardul Thakur.

To give you an idea how far India have come along—This is India’s 4th victory in Australia & England since December (and 8th in Australia, England, South Africa since 2018). In the decade before, India’s only moments of glory in England & Australia were Headingly 2002, Adelaide 2003, England series 2007, and Perth 2008 (coincidentally Rahul Dravid contributing with 148, 233 & 72*, captain, and 93). So this 2-1 series victory (almost) should hold well with the Indian fans, especially after the suffering endured in the 2010s.

This Indian team is good. Really good. They have the spirit to come back from any circumstance, and they just never give up. The attitude instilled by Ravi Shastri-Virat Kohli is evident in the body language of each and every player.

However, is this team the best? I do not think so.

Collapse A Day Does Not Keep The Doctor Away

Team India is brilliant at comebacks, but why is there a need of comebacks in the first place?

The 2000s Australia team set the benchmark for Test greatness. Did you ever hear them coming from dire circumstances? Well, not much because they were so dominant, a comeback was not even necessary.

The same is true for the current World Test Championship winner, the New Zealand cricket team. When they win, they win emphatically.

If India are to instill their greatness in cricketing folklore, they must replicate their home dominance away as well.

Current Batting Side Does Not Fire In Unison

KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and Ajinkya Rahane are all good batters individually, but they have rarely fired in unison.

When the top order bats at its best, the middle order collapses. When Pujara-Pant come together, the rest of the batters have already gone to the pavilion. Kohli is not back at his best yet and Rahane seems to have fallen off the charts altogether.

Even in the horrendous tours of 2011 and 2014, I do not remember performances like 36/9 or 78/10, let alone two. The batting collapses occur too frequently to be regarded as a modern great. What made the Sehwag-Dravid-Sachin-Laxman-Ganguly era great was their consistent overseas batting performances without having the caliber of fast bowlers at their disposals in the nets to practice with.

Now India finally has the bowling attack to take 20 wickets consistently, but a batting line up that is not even close.

Greatest Indian Bowling Attack

The reason India is succeeding away from home can be attributed to two factors: (1) comparatively lower standard of opposition, and (2) fast bowling unit.

Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shardul Thakur provide regular breakthroughs while Jadeja and Ashwin can play both as wicket-taking options and chief controller depending on the conditions.

Since the South Africa tour of 2018, Indian bowlers have taken all 20 wickets by pace on numerous occasions. Injury replacements are readily available as well.

So is India Good, Bad, or Just Okay?

The bowling attack? The best in their nation’s history. Their batting? Eh. Not so hot.

India might have one of the best line ups on paper but are definitely not the best Test team going around. Or at least just not performing to their full potential yet. The flaws in India’s team performance combined with miraculous comebacks and recency bias actually amplify the degree of their quality. India are so bad sometimes that it brings out the best in the team. Still a long way to go achieve dominance.

In other words, India are so bad that they are actually good. Think about it.

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