Stokes and McCullum have "fundamentally changed Test cricket" with 'Bazball'

03 March 2023 , 11:02

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Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have guided England to ten wins in 12 Tests playing 'Bazball' (Image: Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook has hailed Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum for "fundamentally changing what is acceptable in Test cricket" with their new positive and aggressive approach.

Stokes and McCullum have completely revolutionised England's Test team since taking charge last summer and their ultra-positive style of play has been dubbed 'Bazball' after McCullum's nickname.

England have won ten out of 12 Tests playing 'Bazball' and were lauded by many for their approach in the aftermath of their thrilling one-run loss to New Zealand, which will go down as one of the greatest Test matches of all-time.

"There has been such a turnaround that you have gone from fearing for England to thinking they have got a really, really good chance of winning the Ashes and playing some unbelievable cricket along the way," Cook told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Ben and Brendon have to take a huge amount of credit for that attitude change. It is the same group of players that are delivering a totally different style. They have fundamentally changed what is acceptable in Test cricket."

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There has been some discussion about Stokes' decision to enforce the follow on against New Zealand and, while he defended the call after the match, Cook does not believe he will take a similar risk against rivals Australia in this summer's Ashes series.

Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook has hailed Stokes and McCullum (Philip Brown/Popperfoto/Popperfoto via Getty Images)

"I don't think he would take that risk in the Ashes," Cook added. "He knows that at the end of the series it is whether Ben Stokes is an Ashes-winning captain or not, and so I don't think he would have enforced the follow-on if it was an Ashes Test match.

"But his reasons for it were that they had the wood over the New Zealand top order and that New Zealand had to play really well to win. He also wants to see what happens to his team in different situations.

"Last summer, they chased 370 against India and afterwards he said he wished India had scored more so he could see if his side could chase 450. So he does think about things a different way, but when it gets to the crunch of an Ashes series I think it will be slightly different, but not much."

Matthew Cooper