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Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag has proposed a strategy to boost spectator interest in Test cricket. According to Sehwag, adopting a more aggressive approach by young players could be key to revitalizing the format. He commended England’s bold style of play, known as ‘Bazball,’ for its impact on the game.
Sehwag was renowned for his aggressive batting during his career, diverging from the traditional, more cautious approach typically favored in Test matches. His dynamic style of play contributed significantly to India’s successes during his time.
With 8,580 runs in 180 innings at an average of 49.34 and an impressive strike rate of 82.23, Sehwag holds the record for the highest strike rate in Test cricket among players with over 2,500 runs.
Virender Sehwag reveals strategies to boost Test cricket’s popularity.
Sehwag strongly advocates for young players to embrace a more aggressive style of cricket. He believes that if more emerging talents adopt an attacking approach, it could draw greater crowds to Test matches.
“So, if anyone develops an aggressive game that can suit Test cricket, then why not? After all, we would like people to come and watch Tests. Was it good or bad? I scored a triple ton in 270-odd balls. Today’s kid might score 400 if they play that many balls,” Sehwag was quoted as saying by PTI.
Virender Sehwag is the first Indian batsman to achieve two triple centuries in Test cricket. He reached this milestone with his first triple hundred against Pakistan in Multan in 2004 and his second against South Africa in Chennai in 2008. Notably, his innings against South Africa was the fastest triple century ever, accomplished in just 278 balls.
Virender Sehwag praises England’s Bazball cricket style.
Recently, England’s bold approach to cricket, known as ‘Bazball,’ has garnered significant attention globally. The term ‘Bazball’ is named after Brendon McCullum, England’s current Test head coach, who was renowned for his aggressive batting style during his playing days.
Sehwag expressed admiration for England’s dynamic style of play in Test cricket, drawing a comparison to the aggressive approach of the Australian team in the early 2000s, which had a dominant impact on the sport.
“The manner in which England is playing Test cricket, scoring at five runs an over. In our playing days, Australiaused to score at 4 runs per over. I have always believed that if you can attack, then you give your team more chances to win the Test matches,”
England has greatly benefited from their Bazball approach, which has revitalized their Test cricket, particularly on home soil. Since June 22, they have achieved a run rate of 4.61 per over in Test matches, the highest among all international teams. Much of the credit for this dynamic style goes to Test captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum.
