Michael Vaughan hilariously praises England's smart shift from Bazball to tactical play vs Sri Lanka

As the England cricket team locked horns against Sri Lanka in the second Test at Lord’s on Thursday (August 29), Michael Vaughan shared his views on the team’s latest approach in the ongoing home Test series. England has yet again shown that they’re far from being a one-trick pony.

After taking the cricketing world by storm with the aggressive and glitzy "Bazball" style, the England Test team has now showcased a whole new dimension of their game in the ongoing three-match Test series against Sri Lanka. This left many questioning whether it was the new era in English cricket or just a tactical masterstroke.

Michael Vaughan praises England's strategic masterstroke against Sri Lanka

England’s calculated approach has caught the attention of many, including the former captain Vaughan. Joe Root’s composed 62 and Harry Brook’s patient 32 off 68 balls were far from their Bazball fashion. Instead, the England batters displayed a gritty determination that hinted at a more nuanced strategy—one that can adapt to the demands of the moment.

This unexpected shift has sparked debates among the cricketing fraternity. Has England abandoned Bazball in favor of a more traditional, cautious approach? Or are they simply adding another weapon to their already formidable arsenal? However, Vaughan denied any of these concerns.

The commentator said that the England team has strategically displayed their adaptability by choosing not to stick solely to their aggressive "Bazball" style in the first Test that they won by five wickets against Sri Lanka. Recognizing the timing and context, especially amidst the UK's football frenzy and other major headlines, they opted for a more measured approach.

The former captain also called the current team “smart” and said they know how to make headlines. And Vaughan feels this clever tactic not only kept England’s Test team in the spotlight but also sent a clear message that they have multiple strategies up their sleeve, ready to be deployed as needed to win the matches.

They're smart, and very, very clever: Vaughan

Michael Vaughan said on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, “Well, no, they've still got bazball in the locker room when they need it. But on a Saturday afternoon when there's a lot of Premier League, there's no point in bringing it out because, as you said, they're not going to get the headlines because all the headlines are about football. There's lots going on here in the UK.”

He further explained, “There's a presenter on the BBC that's been in a little bit of a mess. There's Oasis, the reunion, which is the biggest news in the UK about their comeback next year, which is great. So, they realized that they weren't going to get headlines by playing the bazball way, but they may get more talks.

And we're talking about them because they didn't play the bazball way. So, they're smart. Very, very clever. If they'd played the bazball way, no one would have mentioned it. But because they played the other way, they're kind of saying to the world, Look, get ready. We can play different ways.”

Has BazBall been replaced by StokesBall 🤔

We saw a different England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 in the first test against Sri Lanka 🇱🇰 but will they change 🔄 it up again in the second Teat starting today?#ClubPrairieFire pic.twitter.com/6K5F4Tws70

— Club Prairie Fire (@clubprairiefire) August 29, 2024