Brendon McCullum, the England Test team’s head coach, is not one to go on the back foot in defence and he assured that his boys, playing the ‘Bazball’ brand of cricket, would not either when they face India in a five-match Test series early next year.
The term ‘Bazball’, coined after McCullum’s nickname ‘Baz’ and the attacking philosophy that he endorses, has also found its pride of place in the Collins dictionary.
England will face India in five Tests at Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Rajkot, Ranchi and Dharamsala, starting January 25.
“We have got a huge challenge against a very good Indian team in five Tests in India,” McCullum said at the Royal Challengers Bangalore Innovation Lab’s Leaders Meet India.
“I am excited about it because you want to test yourself against the best side and I genuinely believe that India are the best in their own conditions. It is going to be a good challenge for us. If we have success then fabulous, if we don’t, then I know we will go down in the style that we want to go down,” McCullum said, signalling his and his team’s clear attacking intent.
In his address, McCullum also expressed his thoughts on the essence of ‘Bazball’ and what it stands for.
“We are playing the game, because we love cricket and we want to try and be as good at cricket as we possibly can.
“During the time that you are in the chair, you want to make sure you enjoy it and you shouldn’t wait till the end of your career to do so.
“We are very lucky that we have had some immediate success, but I don’t think it is the ceiling for us,” the former New Zealand captain said.
With inputs from PTI
