Former South Africa batter AB de Villiers has blamed England’s Bazball approach for Joe Root’s dip in form. de Villiers made the comments as Root is visibly struggling to score runs in the ongoing five-Test series in India. The England batter, who has nearly 11,500 Test runs to his name, has managed to score only 77 runs in six innings of three games. Root being out of form has definitely played a part in England being 1-2 down in the series with two more games left to play.

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“When I played against him (Root), I felt he was one of the best Test batters I have ever played against. But that has changed, and it’s because of Bazball. I know it’s a big statement but the ones that you find hardest to play against in Test match cricket are the ones who are hardest to get out. And now he is getting out on reverse sweeps and kind of blowing out of his norm. I don’t like that,” de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.

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Root was especially criticised for getting out on a reverse scoop on day three of the third Test. Former England skipper Michael Vaughan also want Root to play his natural game and not Bazball.

“The batsmen look like they only have one way to play. They are in fifth gear from ball one. I don’t mind some of them playing like that because they are better for it. But Joe Root should forget it. He has 10,000 Test runs playing like Joe Root. He doesn’t need to be a Bazballer,” Vaughan had written in his column for The Telegraph after England’s loss in the third Test.

England won the first match of the series by 28 runs in Hyderabad but lost next two, that is, in Vizag by 106 runs and in Rajkot by 434 runs. The fourth Test will be played from Friday (Feb 23) in Ranchi.

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