Former Australian captain Michael Clarke has offered a piece of advice to the England cricket team, urging them to stick to their Bazball approach despite criticism following their 434-run loss to India in Rajkot. Clarke acknowledged that the Bazball strategy is a high-risk, high-reward approach and emphasized the importance of the entire squad backing themselves and remaining focused on their game plan.

“I think it’s one of those things where you live by the sword and you die by it. This is the time for England to come together and Bazball or whatever you call it, if this is how you want to play, then you have to back yourselves and not care what other people think. If you think that’s the best chance of beating India, then back yourselves,” said Michael Clarke in an interview with ESPN.

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The former Australian skipper addressed the criticism directed at Joe Root for his unconventional shot selection in the Rajkot Test. Root attempted a reverse scoop off Jasprit Bumrah, leading to his dismissal and sparking discussions about the appropriateness of such shots in Test cricket. Clarke defended Root, suggesting that he is merely trying to embrace the Bazball mantra adopted by the entire squad.

“For someone like Joe Root, that’s why it’s a big talking point because people feel does Joe really need to play such shots and can’t help continue playing the same way. But it’s a team sport. If one is in, then I think Ben Stokes would want everyone to be in,” Michael Clarke explained.

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The Australian cricket legend advised the England team to block out external noise, maintain belief in their chosen approach, and focus on executing their game plan consistently. England is currently trailing 2-1 in the Test series against India, and the upcoming matches will test their resilience and commitment to the Bazball strategy.