Written by Markus Conneely
England’s unexpected elimination from the Champions Trophy has once again plunged their ODI team into crisis mode.
Brendon McCullum’s tenure in limited-overs cricket has seen England lose ten of their last eleven white-ball matches, sparking debate over his approach. Alex Hartley, a former England player, voiced his frustrations on the BBC’s Test Match Special podcast. “The arrogance of the England teams irritates me,” he stated. “They say, ‘we don’t care about the result, and we want to entertain,’ but people don’t want to come and watch you if you lose all the time.”
England’s signature aggressive style of play is now as recognizable as their overconfident media interactions—views that often lead to unintended controversy, further cementing the Bazball ethos.
Displaying a perhaps overzealous confidence fostered by Bazball principles, members of the England camp have made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Here are the top six Bazball blunders over the past three years:
Zak Crawley: Consistency Not Required?
In 2022, amid the heated debate about Zak Crawley’s continuous selection, head coach McCullum doused the flames of criticism. He asserted, “I look at a guy like Zak and his skillset is not to be a consistent cricketer…he can win matches for England.” By suggesting that some batsmen needn’t be consistently high-scoring, McCullum defied Test cricket conventions. While Crawley did score a remarkable 189 against Australia at Old Trafford a year later, a recent dip in form has left England back at square one, with Crawley averaging just 8 in a disappointing series against New Zealand. This leads to the question: Is sporadic brilliance worth trading for consistency?
Joe Root and the IPL-ified Ashes Preparation
Ahead of the 2023 Ashes, Joe Root made a surprising decision to skip County Championship matches with Yorkshire, opting instead for his first stint in the IPL. Root confidently countered any criticism, stating, “For where I am within my game…having an experience like the IPL…benefit me more.” Despite his intention, Root only played three IPL matches after his team, the Rajasthan Royals, were eliminated from playoff contention, making a modest 10 from 15 balls. His remarks unintentionally downplayed domestic first-class cricket, a blow to the County Championship’s battle for significance. Simultaneously, Mitchell Starc’s choice to skip the IPL and focus on the Ashes only served to emphasize Root’s misjudgment.
Moral Victory: Harry Brook’s Consolation
When rain thwarted England’s 4th Ashes Test victory at Old Trafford, up-and-comer Harry Brook remained optimistic ahead of the final test at the Oval. “We were dominating…we would have won,” he reflected, “So if we can win this week, it can be a moral victory.” Though England managed a dramatic win at the Oval, Brook’s comments didn’t exactly win hearts down under. The Australian media took his words as evidence of English self-righteousness, embedding the concept into the nation’s cricket discourse.
Ollie Robinson: “Winning Isn’t Everything”
Following a lackluster defeat to India, outspoken bowler Ollie Robinson provided insight into the team’s mindset. In his Wisden column, he wrote, “The message…from Ben and Baz is that results are irrelevant…it’s the way that we play.” Robinson’s comments, which revealed England’s growing detachment from winning as their primary goal, were harshly criticized as the team slumped to a 4-1 series loss. Despite an entertaining first Test in Hyderabad, England’s drubbing in the subcontinent was a bitter pill to swallow. It’s hard to imagine cricket fans agreeing with their team’s indifferent attitude towards victory.
Ben Duckett’s Misplaced Credit
After Yashasvi Jaiswal’s staggering century nearly ensured India’s win during the third Test at Rajkot, England’s Ben Duckett surprisingly declared, “It almost feels like we should take some credit…It’s quite exciting to see…teams also playing that aggressive style of cricket.” Overlooking Indian cricket’s rich aggressive history, Duckett was practically celebrating Jaiswal’s performance at England’s expense. Jaiswal went on to compile an impressive 214 runs. In an ironic twist, England was subsequently handed a heavy 434-run defeat, thwarting Duckett’s confidence.
Liam Livingstone: A Denial of Defeat
England seemed poised for victory in their Champions Trophy opener against Australia, courtesy of Duckett’s 165, only for Australia to snag the win thanks to Josh Inglis’ 120. Trying to motivate his teammates, Livingstone commented, “We did a hell of a lot really well, and I don’t personally think that performance deserved to lose yesterday.” While 350 chases are rare, Livingstone’s statement echoed the same misplaced confidence that marred England’s ODI squad under Buttler. His failure to reflect on what went wrong signaled little hope England would learn from the match—a lesson repeated in matches against Afghanistan and South Africa.
As England reevaluates its approach to the game under McCullum, known as Bazball 2.0, toning down these boastful claims might well be at the top of their agenda.
READ MORE: Who Could Succeed Jos Buttler as England’s White-Ball Captain?
