LORD’S — As Ben Stokes admitted, this first Test against the West Indies will be dominated by the long goodbye to an English sporting great in James Anderson. But it will also mark something perhaps even more significant – the second coming of Bazball.
Four months have elapsed since England were hammered 4-1 in their last Test series in India. It was a brutal comedown for a group of players who had previously been riding the wave of optimism sparked by the initial sugar rush provided by this refreshing new approach to cricket’s oldest format.
Even in defeat, such as the thriller lost by one run against New Zealand in Wellington in March last year, there seemed to be glory. Even when they extended their winless run of Ashes series to eight years last summer, a 2-2 draw from 2-0 down offered evidence that Bazball was heading in the right direction.
Under the leadership of Stokes’ captaincy and the coaching of Brendon McCullum, there has been so much to admire over the past two years.
Yet so soundly were they beaten in India after the initial optimism of their miraculous victory in the first Test at Hyderabad and so close is the next Ashes series in Australia in 16 months’ time, something had to give.
So here we are – Bazball 2.0 has finally been born and with it comes the promise of a new dawn and ultimate glory Down Under the winter after next.
If you had to choose one word to sum up this Bazball reboot, it would surely be ruthlessness.
Anderson, with 700 Test wickets in the bag and preparing to say farewell in his 188th Test match this week, was the most brutal of the calls that have been made to refresh this team.
On Monday, he spoke like a man who has yet to come to terms with his fate. But he knows that at the age of 41 and with the next Ashes on the horizon, there was no other option for Stokes and McCullum than to swing the axe.
Others may not even manage to get a send-off – Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson all cut adrift after failing to do enough on that tour of India.
In come precocious wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith and fast bowler Gus Atkinson for Test debuts this week.
Shoaib Bashir, so impressive during his debut series in India, is also included ahead of long-time No1 spin choice Jack Leach. This was another ruthless call from Stokes and McCullum, but at least Leach knows he will, injury-permitting, be on the tour of Pakistan in October.
These were all changes that were made after months of analysing what was needed to take this team to the next level. The gamble both McCullum and Stokes have made is that they can focus on rebuilding this team with the Ashes in mind and still look after results in the present.
On the face of it, the West Indies and Sri Lanka are ideal opponents to face when attempting this kind of rebuild.
Yet England know it doesn’t come without jeopardy.
The Windies in particular are dangerous opponents who have won Tests on both of their previous visits to England, most recently during the Covid-hit summer of 2020 when they won the series opener in Southampton – a match where Stokes was also leading the team after then captain Joe Root took leave to attend the birth of his second child.
The Windies also won their last Test – against Australia in Brisbane back in January when rookie fast bowler Shamar Joseph took seven wickets on the final day to seal a famous eight-run win.
Saying all that, England should, if they perform at their best, win this three-match series comfortably.
Stokes, who famously hates the phrase “Bazball”, is none too fond of “reboot” either, instead repeatedly using the word “progression” when talking about this second iteration of his team.
The personnel may be slightly different this summer. Yet the approach – always taking the positive option, attempting to put opponents under pressure and thinking outside the box to solve problems – will remain.
This may be Bazball 2.0 but much will remain the same. The hope, for Stokes and McCullum, is that the biggest change will be in results given they have not won a series since their 3-0 victory in Pakistan in December 2022.