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England cricket legend Sir Geoffrey Boycott asks the national side to play only for wins, ruling out Brendon McCullum's invented Bazball concept. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) dismissed the former New Zealand keeper-batter as the Test team head coach after the retirement of skipper Ben Stokes. With the newly appointed head coach Stephen Fleming and captain Joe Root, England cricket marks a fresh chapter in its history.
The era under Brendon McCullum ended on an utterly low note. The Bazball concept, which initially looked entertaining but gradually became less effective in matches, resulted in a 4-1 Ashes series loss against the arch-rival Australia, and then a home series defeat against New Zealand.
England just need to cut out the stupid strokes: Geoffrey Boycott
Geoffrey Boycott, in his column for The Telegraph, mentioned that the team's focus should be on winning matches instead of providing entertainment through fancy cricket.
"England just need to cut out the stupid, irresponsible strokes that are losing them Test matches. Let’s have more pragmatic cricket. No more “we are entertainers” and “winning isn’t everything,” Boycott wrote.
While some might argue that the Bazball cricket looked attractive on the ground, Geoffrey Boycott believes only in match results. The ultra-aggressive batting style, which might look exciting in the Whites, attracted a limited number of wins. The former cricketer said that every team enters the ground to win to put a smile on friends' and supporters' faces.
"That is rubbish. Winning is the best feeling in the world, whether it is club cricket, village green cricket or England cricket. As a player, when you win, you feel elated and on cloud nine, and your friends and supporters go home with a smile on their faces. That is the reason we play this game," the column further reads.
Geoffrey Boycott called the Brendon McCullum-led England cricket team a cozy club
Boycott further noted that under the coaching of Brendon McCullum, the England National Cricket Team created an impression as if it were a cozy club, from which getting out is difficult. Zak Crawley, who played back-to-back series for the team, struggled for a long period without providing notable success as an opener.
"McCullum gave the impression that once you were in the England team, it was a cosy club and difficult to get out of. A perfect example was Zak Crawley, who stayed far too long," Geoffrey Boycott expressed.
Beating Australia is the ultimate challenge: Geoffrey Boycott
The 4-1 Ashes 2025-26 defeat was a major shame for England cricket. For the next series, Australia will travel to England, which will be an opportunity for the Three Lions to heal the wound. Months ahead of the next Ashes, the cricket icon urged the England cricket team to stay prepared to thrash their arch-rivals.
"Beating Australia is the ultimate challenge. It has history and tradition and, annoyingly, they keep beating us. It is crucial that this time the England squad are mentally and physically prepared to win the Ashes because last year in Australia we beat ourselves with a lack of preparation and off-the-cuff Bazball batting," Boycott added further.
