Following Joe Root’s impressive century in the Ranchi Test against India, a debate has erupted, ignited by Root’s claim he would continue playing the risky “ramp” shot despite criticism. Cricket legend Geoffrey Boycott took aim at Root, questioning his “arrogance” and casting doubt on the effectiveness of England’s aggressive “Bazball” approach.
Root’s fine innings marked a significant improvement after inconsistent performances in the preceding Tests. However, Boycott, writing in the Telegraph, criticized Root’s post-match comments regarding the ramp shot, which had led to his dismissal in Rajkot.
“When he played like the old Joe, he didn’t look like getting out and scored a wonderful hundred,” Geoffrey Boycott wrote in a Telegraph column. “But then when he was asked, he said he would play the reverse ramp shot again. That is what I mean about arrogance […] He just played one of the loveliest hundreds you will see so why talk up ramping again?”
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Boycott further questioned the effectiveness of the “Bazball” strategy, particularly against strong opponents like India and Australia. He believes England’s recent failures against these teams can be attributed to inconsistent batting, despite acknowledging the positive impact “Bazball” has had on generating excitement around Test cricket.
“Bazball has given Test cricket a shot in the arm and England deserve praise for that. At times, I love it,” Geoffrey Boycott stated. “But I love winning more and England have failed to beat the best two teams in the world: Australia and now India. What should really hurt them is that they should have beaten both.”
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Geoffrey Boycott concluded by highlighting the batting inconsistencies that plagued England throughout the series, pointing out that individual moments of brilliance were not enough to secure victory. This assessment coincides with England suffering their first series defeat under the “Bazball” approach, leaving the team and its strategy under renewed scrutiny.
While Boycott’s views have sparked debate, his criticism raises crucial questions about the balance between innovation and consistency in Test cricket, particularly within the context of England’s current approach.
