Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra didn’t hold back as he took a cheeky swipe at England’s apparent abandonment of their aggressive ‘BazBall’ tactics during Day 1 of the third Test at Lord’s. In what was expected to be another free-flowing display of fearless batting, England ended the day with a relatively subdued 251/4 in 83 overs — a run rate of just 3.02, their slowest in the BazBall era.

Joe Root, unbeaten on 99, and Ben Stokes, on 39, were at the crease as stumps were drawn. But none of the English batters crossed a strike rate of 60, signalling a significant departure from the gung-ho style England have championed under Brendon McCullum’s leadership since 2022.

“Where is the BazBall, sir?” Aakash Chopra mocked on his YouTube channel. “There used to be a thing called BazBall. It seems to have gone missing somewhere around St John’s Wood. You played 83 overs and managed just 250 runs — what happened to all the entertainment?”

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Joe Root’s innings became a focal point for Chopra’s criticism. The former skipper took 157 balls to reach his half-century — his slowest in the BazBall phase — a far cry from his earlier ultra-aggressive approach.

“Root seemed to realise that things hadn’t gone well in the first two Tests. He shelved the hurry and opted for a more classical, composed method. That’s the Joe Root we’ve known — the steady presence. BazBall clearly took a backseat,” Aakash Chopra observed.

He further ridiculed the English camp’s sudden change in tone since their thumping defeat in the second Test at Edgbaston. “Now they’re saying they’re not mad, that they can play for a draw too. It’s as if they’ve discovered caution overnight,” he said.

Chopra suggested that this shift wasn’t a strategic evolution, but rather a sign of confusion and a lack of a plan B.

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“It feels like England are scrambling, not adjusting. Their ultra-attacking mindset has hit a wall, and without a clear alternative, they’re unsure of how to move forward,” he concluded. As England look to reset their narrative, the once-revered BazBall ethos suddenly finds itself under the scanner — and Chopra isn’t the only one asking the tough questions.