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'Test Cricket Is Now Healthier..'- Ian Botham Attributes Test Cricket's Revival To Bazball

image-lscr9u62Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum

Former English all-rounder Ian Botham feels England's new approach, 'Bazball', under the leadership of Ben Stokes and the guidance of Brendon McCullum, is helping revive Test cricket. He feels the attacking brand of cricket is bringing people back to the stands.

England played a conventional style of Test cricket back in the day, but a lot has changed since Stokes has taken charge of the team alongside former New Zealand skipper McCullum as the head coach. While talking on SENQ 693, Botham said that the crowds have now started to return to Test cricket because of Bazball. 

Back in the day, the stands were always full when you were playing Test cricket in India, but after the Indian Premier League, the interest started to fade. Thanks to Bazball, people are now coming back to watch the ultimate format of the game.

He also highlighted the fact that England have won more Test matches than they have lost since the start of the 'Bazball' era.

Botham said to SENQ 693 via India Today, 

"You are entertainers at the end of the day and if you want people to come to the games, you have to entertain. They don't want to see someone score 1.2 runs per hour, you want to see guys just boss the game. You are going to lose one or two games here or there but England have played 15 and won 12. England sells out games across all five days now which was just unheard of. Test cricket is now healthier than it has been for a long time."

The former England all-rounder feels the scoring rate has played a pivotal role, and England now manages to sell out a game across all five days, which wasn't common back in the day.

Botham feels it has started to rub off on other teams, and slowly, even they might adopt this attacking approach. For now, England have a huge task at their hands as they are involved in a 5-match Test series against India.

The visitors won the first Test, but the home team bounced back with an impressive display in the second. As a result, it is nicely poised for the third Test, which will be played in Rajkot from 15th February.