ENG vs SA: Don’t See Our Team Falling Into A Trap – Aiden Markram On Bazball

South African batting all-rounder Aiden Markram that the team won’t pay enough heed to Bazball and instead focus on their own brand of cricket.

There has been a lot of talk about the attacking mindset in Test cricket since Brendon McCullum took over the charge of England’s Test side this summer. England have won all four Test matches – three against New Zealand followed by the epic game against India in Birmingham last month – chasing targets over 270 in each game.

In a very brief period, McCullum’s theory is profoundly known as ‘Bazball’ that allows the batters to take the attack on the opposition from the beginning.

We’ve got our own brand of cricket that we play: Aiden Markram 

The team that will next face the ultimate challenge of Bazball is South Africa, who are currently leading the WTC 2021-23 points table with five wins and two losses.

Markram, who is likely to play his first Test series in England, said the Proteas will trust in their own game plan rather being bothered to what the opposition has to offer.

“We’ve got our own brand of cricket that we play that we’ve been playing for a couple of years now. We’ve got to back that. Their brand of cricket is what they back and we’ve got a different plan,” Markram was quoted as saying by News24.

“We need to back what we’ve been doing for a few years and hope we can match them. I don’t see our team falling into a trap of playing the same way that they play,” he added.

I’m not sure whether I’m going to open: Aiden Markram

Markram has opened in 53 innings for South Africa since his Test debut in 2017. With a dip in form during the India series earlier this year, where he amassed 76 runs in six innings at 12.67.

The Titans batter was pushed down to bat at No.3 in the New Zealand away Tests. Dolphins player Sarel Erwee opened the batting with captain Dean Elgar against the Black Caps.

Erwee continued in the role in Markram’s absence in the Bangladesh Tests at home. The left-handed batter has scored 240 runs in four Tests, including 108 in the second Test in Christchurch.

“We’ve done as much preparation as we can on the tour, but I’m not sure whether I’m going to open or not. If I don’t, at least the preparation will give one the best opportunity to get ready. I’ll see if I get to play in the middle order and if so, I hope the preparation will be good enough,” Markram said.

The first Test between England and South Africa will start on August 17 at Lord’s. The Proteas won the T20Is 2-1 and levelled the ODIs 1-1 so far in their ongoing tour to England.

Also Read: This IPL Tournament Gave Me That Confidence: Aiden Markram Says Of His T20I Success