'They can catch next flight home' - Kris Srikkanth criticizes England's Bazball gameplay after Rajkot drubbing

In the aftermath of England's crushing defeat in the Rajkot Test, former Indian skipper Kris Srikkanth has emphatically dismissed any hopes of a resurgence for the visitors in the ongoing five-match series. While assessing the post-match scenarios, Srikkanth brushed aside the Bazball approach as overhyped and even quipped about England booking an early flight home to evade a potential series drubbing.

Following a remarkable 28-run victory in the opening Test at Hyderabad, England's fortunes have plummeted with consecutive losses in Visakhapatnam and Rajkot, which has left them trailing 1-2 in the series. The latest setback, a staggering 434-run defeat in the third Test, has ignited debates on the effectiveness of the Bazball strategy on Indian pitches.

"If possible, they can catch the next flight home. But, they have to play the remaining two Tests. I think this Bazball and all that are theories that they propagated. Where has it worked? Did it work in the Ashes? Frankly speaking, no strategy can work if they continue playing like this. There was so much hype about this Bazball theory. To back up all that talk, I think they needed the skill to bat in these conditions. You need the talent to bowl," Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.

Also Read: 'The curators decide and make the pitch' - Rohit Sharma sheds light on pitch discussion after Rajkot Test victory

Just going there and trying to hit every ball won’t work: Srikkanth

Srikkanth highlighted concerns about England's Bazball strategy, doubting its sustainability due to potential inconsistencies among batters. However, statistical analysis reveals improved averages for players like Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and surprisingly, Joe Root during the Bazball era. As for England, they boast a commendable record, winning 14 out of 21 Tests, including notable series victories against New Zealand, and South Africa, and a historic 3-0 triumph over Pakistan in Pakistan.

"I don't think it (Bazball) will work in the long run. Just going there and trying to hit every ball... I think Brendon McCullum can bat like that, Ben Stokes can bat like that. Not everybody can do that successfully. Sometimes, you need to adapt. You can't just keep on saying... I feel it's overhyped. That's my feeling. I may be wrong," he added.