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"Bazball winds them up": Zak Crawley says England won't be nice to the Aussies in Ashes

Akshita Patel

Zak Crawley on Ashes rivalry [Source: @TheBarmyArmy/X.com]Zak Crawley on Ashes rivalry [Source: @TheBarmyArmy/X.com]

England opener Zak Crawley has hinted that England will unleash ‘Bazball’ and continue to play with a competitive edge when they face Australia in the upcoming Ashes series.  

The Ashes 2025-26 is set to kick off in November, and the psychological game has already begun. England’s opener Crawley has joined the debate by firing a warning to Australia.

Zak Crawley delivers contradictory ‘moral victory’ verdict

Talking to The Times, Zak Crawley suggested that while Australia keeps talking about “moral victories”, it is actually a sign that Bazball works to unsettle rivals. 

“Bazball really winds them up, doesn’t it? Which is great. If they get wound up, then that’s better for us. All that stuff after the last series, talking about ‘the moral Ashes’ after what happened with Jonny Bairstow, that was just a consequence of us drawing the series. In my eyes, if they’d won, they would never have said it, so it’s a compliment that they felt the need," Crawley said.

However, his comments are confusing, as it was the English themselves who first mentioned the idea of a “moral victory” during the 2023 India series. 

Crawley and teammate Harry Brook had previously suggested that a draw could feel like a moral victory after dominating games, leading to light-hearted banter in the cricket community. 

Crawley suggests England will play with attitude, energy, and aggression

Zak Crawley added that England showed during the India series that they are not just nice guys who will roll over. He believes this confident, aggressive approach will be key in Australia. 

“Jonny Bairstow always said, ‘You’ve got to stick your chest out against Australia’. And I think he’s right, even if that’s not your personality, you’ve got to show them. They’re very competitive, they’re very good at cricket, and they’re in your face and want to get on top of you."

The English opener wishes the team to be brazen and not afraid of the fierce competition that Ashes always carry.

“So it’s important to stand up for yourself and I feel like we showed in the India series we’re not just nice guys who are going to roll over. That’ll be important in Australia, to front up at times. And I like that side of it."

Overall, fans can expect a fiery contest, full of tension and intense cricket, with England determined to challenge Australia at every opportunity.