Bit more method to the madness: Marcus Trescothick on 'Bazball'

image-ledurdwcBen Stokes and Brendon McCullum have won 10 Tests together as a captain-coach combo [Source: Twitter]

Ever since taking over as coach and captain last year, Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes have risen England Test cricket to greater heights. Their aggressive and fearless approach has been the talk of the cricketing world, with the Three Lions winning 10 out of 11 Tests, the duo have been together since June 2022.

Former England opener Marcus Trescothick, who is currently in New Zealand for the two-Test series, said that there is a method behind Bazball and that it is just not mindless. 

Before the pair took over England's red-ball side, they lost nine Tests in 2021 under head coach Chris Silverwood and skipper Joe Root.

England won the first Test against New Zealand last week by a thumping margin of 267 runs at the Bay Oval, only stamping approval on Bazball's approach. 

Speaking to SENZ radio, the current England batting coach further praised Stokes' demand from his teamates to play freely and try different ways. 


Here's what Trescothick said

"There is a bit more method to the madness. It’s not just about you know, ‘Let’s go gung-ho and just be ultra-aggressive..The mantra is (to) try and point pressure on bowlers and try and find opportunities that we can move the game forward.

"It kind of started with Brendon coming in and sort of looking to evolve the approach of the team. And then you’ve got the skipper in Ben Stokes also looking to try and do things slightly differently to give the team a different angle and a different way of playing the game."

Stokes' men will take on New Zealand in the second and final Test on February 24.