Gilchrist’s Bold Claim: Australia Masters Aggressive Cricket

Former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist has recently emphasized that Australia has been playing an aggressive brand of cricket long before England’s Bazball tactics emerged. Speaking on Kayo Sports, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo, Gilchrist remarked, “We were doing it 20 years before them. It’s just the way you play cricket.” He believes that the evolving style of the game does not wind him up; instead, it makes for a compelling spectacle.

In his remarks, England opener Zak Crawley claimed that Australia’s nerves were rattled during the recent 2023 Ashes, which concluded in a 2-2 draw. Crawley stated, “Bazball really winds them up, doesn’t it?” His view highlighted how England’s aggressive approach under coach Brendon McCullum had affected the Aussies.

Although England’s outputs under this philosophy have shown sparks of brilliance, inconsistency has plagued their record, winning only 25 out of 41 matches under McCullum. In contrast, Gilchrist, who accumulated 5,570 runs in 96 Tests at a strike rate of 82, played a crucial role in Australia’s dominant era in the 2000s, setting a precedent for attacking cricket.

Historically, after England’s 3-1 victory in the Ashes during the 2010/11 series, their performance in Australia has faltered significantly, suffering a 5-0 whitewash in the 2013/14 season and two subsequent series losses of 4-0. Meanwhile, optimism remains high among the English side for their prospects heading into the 2025/26 Ashes.

According to former England fast bowler Stuart Broad, the current Australian team is the weakest since their last series win in Australia. Broad commented, “It’s probably the worst Australian team since 2010 when England last won, and it’s the best English team since then.” His statement poses intriguing possibilities for the upcoming Ashes showdown.