Twenty20 Now the audience is interested in cricket. Even if it is said that the beauty of cricket is in Test matches, the time is not far when Test cricket will lose its relevance with the advent of Twenty20′ – this is what former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum said after scoring the fastest century in Test cricket (in 54 balls) in his retirement match in 2016.
In these words of McCullum, there was the concern that Test cricket is slowly disappearing and the desire to bring it back to its former glory. After 7 years, McCullum, the England Test team coach, and his English boys are now attracting the attention of the world with the updated version of Test cricket presented under the name of ‘Baseball’.
The mass of baseball
Baseball was born from Brendon McCullum’s nickname ‘Bassi’. After McCullum took charge as the batting coach of the English cricket team on May 12, 2022, baseball is the change in the playing style of the England team. Baseball has taught those who believed that defensive batting was the beauty of Test cricket that attack is the greatest defense. Either you hit the ball and get out, or you get out (hit out or get out) – McCullum applies this basic principle of Twenty20 cricket to Test cricket as well.
McCullum’s insistence that the match should have results, win or lose, is the realization that the tedium of draws kills the fun in Test cricket. Captain Ben Stokes stood by Katta in support, and after McCullum took over, England played 11 Test matches. They managed to win all but one of them. It should also be remembered that before McCullum took over, England had won only one of the 17 Tests they had played.
High press game
The style of baseball is similar to the high press game of football. Keep the opposing team on the defensive with continuous attacks without giving them a chance to attack. The team with the highest run rate (4.83) in Test cricket over the last year is England. Australia’s run rate is just 3.82. The English batsmen scored 6608 runs in 12 matches at a team average of 39.56 in one year.
English batsmen try almost all the shots seen in Twenty20 cricket like reverse sweep, paddle sweep, slog, short arm pull, step out lofted shots and also as part of baseball in Tests. The sight of even Joe Root, considered the team’s classic batter, consistently reverse-sweeping and scooping fast bowlers is impactful in baseball.
Performances of key English batsmen before and after McCullum took over
(Year, Innings, Runs, Strike Rate)
Joe Root
2021: 29– 1708– 56.9
2022: 27– 1721– 63.7
Ben Stokes
2021: 14– 304– 42
2022: 26– 870– 71.5
Jonny Bairstow
2021: 17– 391– 48.5
2022: 19– 1061– 76
Ole Pop
2021: 18– 368– 48
2022: 20– 713– 71.5
English Summary: Change in England test cricket team playing style