Key Points

Nathan Lyon has no issues with England tweaking their aggressive Bazball approach for a more results-driven strategy. The veteran spinner believes the upcoming Ashes will be thrilling with England’s refined tactics. Lyon also reflected on his 2017 sledging tactics to ease pressure on young Australian players. His comments add fuel to the storied rivalry ahead of the November showdown.

Key Points: Nathan Lyon Backs England's Shift from Bazball to Winning Cricket

  • Lyon supports England’s shift from entertainment to results
  • Ashes buildup intensifies with tactical mind games
  • Stokes and Root key to England’s revised approach
  • Lyon recalls 2017 sledging to shield young Aussie teammates
3 min read

Trying to win games than being entertainers: Lyon totally fine with England tweaking Bazball

Australian spinner Nathan Lyon supports England's tactical tweaks from pure entertainment to results-driven cricket ahead of the Ashes.

"They’re trying to think about how to win games of cricket rather than just being pure entertainers. – Nathan Lyon"

Canberra, August 13

Australia's seasoned off-spinner Nathan Lyon is "totally fine" with England debunking the "pure entertainers" tag and tweaking the 'Bazball' approach to churn out results as the oldest rivalry in cricket stands months away from adding another chapter to its rich history.

England felt the jolts against an in-transition Indian side during the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The five Tests, which were filled with entertainment and drama, ended at 2-2, courtesy of England overwhelming India in match-defining moments.

Several Australian players closely monitored the on-field action, and Lyon was among them. He underscored the transformation that Bazball has undergone from entertainment to a result-oriented approach. The subtle shift in England's brand of cricket makes Lyon believe the Ashes will be one to watch out for, which is scheduled to kick off on November 21.

"That's the way they're playing their cricket, which is totally fine by me. It's shaping up for one hell of a summer. I think their approach has changed a little bit. They've got some stars in their cricket side who can win games of cricket off their own back. Joe Root, Ben Stokes and these guys," Lyon said as quoted from The Sydney Morning Herald.

"But it looks to me like they've totally changed their approach, and they're trying to think about how to win games of cricket rather than just being pure entertainers. And they've played some decent cricket over the last little while," he added.

Eight years ago, England were touring Australia after reclaiming the urn in 2015. The Baggy Greens assembled in Brisbane in November 2017, with selectors surprising many by drafting Cameron Bancroft and Tim Paine in the roster.

Lyon tried to deflect the pressure off the two youngsters by deploying the sledging tactic and made a bold statement, "Could we end some careers? I hope so". The 37-year-old ball tweaker opened up about his remark and explained its need.

"Looking back at that, I did that on purpose. I wanted to make it about England, take a lot of pressure off 'Painey' and Cam Bancroft. Painey was coming back into the side, Cam was making his debut, so there was a lot of pressure on our batting group, especially those young guys," he said.

"I felt like my game was in a really good area, where I could be confident in backing up my skill [with words]. I wanted to take some pressure off them. That's part of the game - I think I did that, all the attention came to me, which is all right," Lyon added.

Even in the present scenario, Lyon has slowly employed his sledging ploy when he weighed in on England's frustration during the fourth Test in Manchester.

After Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar refused to shake hands for a draw before their centuries, England Test captain Ben Stokes and his troops voiced their frustration. Lyon had a simple message for England and had said, "Get them out. Don't let them get a hundred."

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Lyon is such a clever player - his mind games are as good as his bowling. Remember how he troubled our batsmen in the Border-Gavaskar series! England better be prepared for his psychological warfare.
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Aditya G
The India-England series showed that aggressive cricket has its limits. Traditional Test match skills still matter. Jadeja and Sundar's batting proved that patience wins matches too.
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Sarah B
As a neutral observer, I think Lyon makes valid points. Cricket needs balance - entertainment is great but shouldn't come at the cost of results. The Ashes will be fascinating with both teams evolving their approaches.
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Karthik V
Lyon's "get them out" comment is gold! 😂 That's the spirit we need in Test cricket. No free centuries - make them earn it. Our Indian team should take note for future matches against England.
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Nisha Z
While I appreciate Lyon's skills, his sledging sometimes crosses the line. Cricket should be about respect too. Our Indian players like Kohli and Ashwin give back when needed but maintain dignity.
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Michael C
The evolution of Bazball is interesting, but let's not forget India's role in forcing England to rethink. Our bowlers exposed their middle order vulnerabilities. Test cricket is alive

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