Geoffrey Boycott Criticizes England’s ‘Bazball’ Approach After Series Loss to Pakistan
After a massive first-Test total of 823, England’s batting lineup failed to reach 300 in any subsequent innings, collapsing for totals of 144 and 112 in the second innings of the last two Tests. Boycott expressed concern that England's struggles against spin might be overlooked as they are not set to play in the subcontinent until 2027.
Following England’s 2-1 series defeat in Pakistan, former cricketer Geoffrey Boycott voiced strong criticism, calling England batters "flat track bullies" for struggling against spin. England initially won the first Test in Multan but then faltered in the second and third Tests, unable to adapt to spinning pitches where Pakistan’s spinners Sajid Khan and Noman Ali took 39 of England's 40 wickets.
In his column for The Telegraph UK, Boycott targeted England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach championed by coach Brendon McCullum, stating that it left England vulnerable on pitches that demand strategic adjustments. Using batter Harry Brook as an example, Boycott noted how Brook’s performance drastically dropped after his impressive 317 in the first Test, managing only 56 runs across four innings thereafter.
After a massive first-Test total of 823, England’s batting lineup failed to reach 300 in any subsequent innings, collapsing for totals of 144 and 112 in the second innings of the last two Tests. Boycott expressed concern that England's struggles against spin might be overlooked as they are not set to play in the subcontinent until 2027.
"The saddest thing is that England do not play in India or Pakistan again on spinning pitches for nearly three years," Boycott wrote. England’s series defeat also dealt a blow to their standing in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle, where they now rank sixth, reducing their chances of reaching the WTC final.
