Ashes 2023: 'Moving Forward I Think We'll See a Bit of an Evolution in Bazball Philosophy' - Jason Gillespie​

Former Australia pacer Jason Gillespie hailed Ben Stokes’ innovative field placement in the first Ashes Test against Australia at Edgbaston. With no swing, pace and bounce on offer from the surface for the pacers, Stoked decided to go for some unusual field placements to put pressure on the Aussie batters. He placed four slips and two leg slips to put Smith under pressure in the initial phase of his innings.

The English skipper entered the match with some set plans for the Australian batters and he didn’t shy away from applying the unconventional field set-up. Stokes also employed an attacking field placement to get rid of the centurion of the first innings, Usman Khawaja.

He positioned four fielders in a quarter-circle arc on the on-side, ranging from silly mid-on to square leg which put pressure on a set batter like Khawaja as his scoring options were reduced out of nowhere. England got the reward for it as Khawaja was bowled by Ollie Robinson in an attempt to play a big shot by stepping out of the crease.

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In a selected media interaction organised by Sony Sports, Jason Gillespie replied to News18 CricketNext querry and talked about England’s Bazball approach when it comes to bowling as he was impressed with Stokes’ captaincy on the field.

“I really liked Ben Stokes’ captaincy during the first Test match. He employed some unusual fields, Some different fields. I thought he was excellent. But what we did see was two contrasting captains of styles and I thought both were very effective,” Gillespie told News18 CricketNext.

The legendary Australia pacer pointed out that even Stokes placed the defensive fielding but his decision to employ some innovative set-up took away the criticism from him that Cummins faced.

“Pat Cummins was probably criticised in some quarters about his defensive field settings particularly with the ball and particularly early in the match. Ben Stokes did some of that as well, but he didn’t seem to cop the criticism Pat Cummins did for some reason even though he employed for periods of time, exactly the same fields as Pat Cummins. But because Ben starts employed some quirky fields unusual, field placings, he was praised for innovation,” he added.

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Gillespie, who claimed 259 wickets for Australia, was part of several memorable Ashes wins with his team during his playing days. He stated that Cummins and the coaches were also prepared for the English batters and said that Australia knew that hosts will go all attacking with the bat which is why they went with the defensive field.

“It was really clear that Pat Cummins and the Australian coaches and they strategized very well, they planned very well. And they decided that well, you know what? This England team are coming out and playing the ‘Bazball’ and being ultra-aggressive. We’re going to employ a couple of defensive fielders, because they’re going to play that way anyway.,” he added.

Gillespie further pointed out that with time the Bazball philosophy will evolve which was also evident during the opening Test when Stokes played defensively against Nathan Lyon in the second innings.

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“Moving forward, I think we will see a bit of an evolution in Bazball philosophy. And I think we saw a little bit of a with Ben Stokes, batting in the second innings against Nathan Lyon. He sort of put away the big shots and just knocked it around. So I think as with any pro philosophy, any way of playing? There’s always adaptability isn’t there? And I think we’ll see that from England and Ben Stokes and certainly see it from Australia,” he concluded.