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Cricket icon Kapil Dev, who led India to a historic World Cup victory in 1983, has showered praise on England's bold new approach to Test cricket, known as Bazball. Spearheaded by Brendon McCullum's tactical insights, England's aggressive red-ball tactics have yielded fruitful results, including an impressive draw in the 2023 Ashes series and a superior overall performance against Australia.
Expressing his admiration, Kapil Dev emphasized that the exhilarating style of cricket witnessed in the England-Australia series is the way forward. He advised Indian skipper Rohit Sharma to channel more aggression on the field, suggesting that while Rohit possesses skills, injecting more assertiveness into his leadership could yield substantial rewards.
The backdrop of this commentary stems from India's loss to Australia in the World Test Championship Final, where Rohit's defensive captaincy raised concerns.
Kapil Dev iterated that the approach taken by England should serve as a model for all teams. He championed a shift towards pursuing results over draws in Test cricket, a move that would add a dash of excitement to the longer format of the game.
Adding his voice to the discourse, former England captain Nasser Hussain proposed that India could benefit from the inclusion of a fast-bowling all-rounder, akin to Ben Stokes or Mitchell Marsh, to strike a better balance in the Test squad.
In this context, Kapil Dev shared his perspective on flamboyant all-rounder Hardik Pandya. He asserted that Pandya, with his robust physique, possesses the potential to excel in Test cricket as well. While acknowledging the potential touch-up that might have occurred in a billboard photograph, Kapil Dev emphasized that Pandya's fitness and ability should ideally extend to the red-ball challenge.
As cricket strategists and pundits advocate for bold approaches and well-rounded players, the dynamics of the game continue to evolve, offering fresh perspectives and challenges to both players and captains alike.
