Dubai [UAE], December 12 : Former England player and current Dubai Capitals allrounder David Willey said that while the team's aggressive 'Bazball' style is exciting and game-changing, it can sometimes go too far if players don't adapt to match situations. England are currently trailing Australia by 0-2 in the five-match Ashes Test series.
Speaking to ANI, Willey said that while England's aggressive 'Bazball' approach is exciting, it can sometimes go too far if players ignore the game situation. He noted that Ben Stokes has acknowledged this and expects the team to refine their approach for the rest of the series.
"I think the term 'Bazball' is something that's been used more by the media than the players themselves. I think the way they're playing is great. They're trying to impact the game. But I just have my reservations about maybe going too far that way and not taking accountability sometimes for when the game dictates something else. And I think the way Stokes talked about it, he's really highlighted that. And I've no doubt that they'll be trying to refine that and put that right for the remainder of the series."
England suffered eight-wicket defeats in both Ashes Tests. In the first Test at Perth, they looked well-placed at 76-3 but then collapsed, losing their next seven wickets for just 88 runs and being bowled out for 164.
Willey said England missed crucial moments in both Tests, and better batting in key situations could have changed the outcomes. He believes the team needs to recognise when to absorb pressure instead of always playing aggressively.
Notably, England suffered eight-wicket defeats in both Ashes Tests. In the first Test at Perth, they looked well-placed at 76-3 but then collapsed, losing their next seven wickets for just 88 runs and being bowled out for 164.
"If you look back to Perth, if they'd have batted better in that third innings, there's every chance they could have won that test match and everyone would be sat having different conversations now. And the same again in the second test, there's just key moments where England just let them slip and that's ultimately cost them. So I think they'll be really trying to identify those moments and know when to potentially absorb a little pressure and just dig in a little bit rather than play the expansive style of cricket they want," Willey said.
Willey reflected on his experiences with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL, describing both as enjoyable but contrasting. He praised CSK's well-structured setup under MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming, which he credited for their 2018 championship during his only season with the team.
In contrast, he felt RCB sometimes had "too many cooks in the kitchen" and was less streamlined, though he acknowledged it operates as a large business. Overall, he appreciated being part of both franchises, calling them two of the best he has experienced.
"I only had one year with CSK. Obviously, they went on to win it. So it was a great experience. With Fleming (Stephen Fleming) and Dhoni (MS Dhoni) running the team, they very much keep hold of the cricket side of things and run that. I think, at RCB, from my experience when I was there, it might be a bit different under Andy Flower now. But, you know, it felt like there were maybe too many cooks in the kitchen at times at RCB. But, you know, it's a huge business operation as well, whereas Chennai doesn't run quite in the same way. So I really enjoyed my time at both. You know, both different in their own way, but, you know, really, really did enjoy them and probably two of the best franchises I've been a part of," Willey said.
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