England Players Can’t Hide Behind The Bazball: Nasser Hussain

England players can’t hide behind the bazball: Nasser Hussain (Image Source: IANS)

Only Zak Crawley: After another batting collapse against India in the opening day of the fifth and final Test of the series, former England captain Nasser Hussain slammed the visiting side's batters, saying that the players can’t hide behind ‘bazball’ and need to focus on their own game.

Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav scythed through England with a sensational five-wicket haul while off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin took four wickets as the visitors’ were bowled out for 218 by India on day one of the fifth and final Test at the HPCA Stadium.

Electing to bat first, England were in a strong position at 100/1, before Kuldeep's 5-72 and Ashwin’s 4-51 led to them being bowled out in 57.4 overs. Only Zak Crawley waged a lone battle with a good-looking 79 as England flattered to deceive, falling like a pack of cards and were outwitted by Kuldeep’s mastery.

“I think with the batting approach England players need to look at their own games and try to improve. Whatever is your plan, whatever your coach or captain says, the best players, the greatest players like Ravichandran Ashwin, they try to improve, they try to get better,” said Nasser Hussain to Sky Sports.

“Zak Crawley has batted better but has been out between 50-80 the sixth time, Jonny Bairstow trying to counterattack getting to twenty-thirty and getting out. Ben Stokes has not been able to read Kuldeep Yadav from the wrist, he has hardly contributed with the bat. The struggle is real with the bat not the conditions,” he added

However, Nasser suggested the England players to look upon their grey areas and try to improve with the bat rather than hiding behind the ‘Bazball’.

“Whatever coach, skipper or anyone suggests, the most important suggestion is for England batters to look upon themselves rather than listening to others. Enhance your own thought process on how do I become better cricketer. Hopefully, by the end of the tour, England players will look upon themselves and will stop hiding behind bazball.”