Former England opener and newly inducted ICC Hall of Famer Alastair Cook expressed his admiration for England’s aggressive and positive ‘Bazball’ style of cricket under Test captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum. Cook, who traveled to the UAE for his Hall of Fame induction and watched the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Final between New Zealand and South Africa, praised England’s current team for pushing boundaries in Test cricket like no other team he has seen.
In an interview with the ICC, Cook noted the significant evolution in the game, particularly in Tests. He highlighted that the shift first occurred in one-day cricket, with Eoin Morgan’s leadership in 2015, but the era under Ben Stokes has further transformed the mentality around what is possible in Test matches.
Cook pointed to England’s first Test against Pakistan, where they scored a remarkable 823/7 in the first innings, including Harry Brook’s 317, making him the second-fastest triple centurion in history, reaching the milestone in just 310 balls. Cook emphasized that England’s current team has many aggressive players, which sets them apart. However, he reminded fans that there have been fast-scoring players in the past, such as Virender Sehwag, who holds the record for the fastest triple century, achieved in 278 balls against South Africa in 2008.
Cook acknowledged that while previous teams have scored quickly, England’s current side takes it to another level. He supports this new approach, though he stresses that comparing different eras is difficult. Ultimately, he believes the focus should be on runs scored and the final outcome.
Cook joins fellow inductees Neetu David and AB de Villiers in the ICC Hall of Fame. The final Test of the England-Pakistan series, currently tied 1-1, will begin in Rawalpindi on Thursday.
