R Ashwin rings warning bells on 'Bazball': 'Quite scary. Need to be careful about this brand of cricket'

India spinner R Ashwin feels that while 'Bazball' is highly entertaining, he is not sure whether it should be the way forward in Test cricket.

India spinner R Ashwin feels that while 'Bazball' is highly entertaining, he is not sure whether it should be the way forward in Test cricket. The Brendon McCullum inspired term 'Bazball' refers to the new approach England have taken up in Test cricket, where the player do not shy away from injecting a bit of pace into their batting innings. The sight of Joe Root playing audacious reverse sweeps – something that would have never been expected of him – or Jonny Bairstow scoring a century in less than run-a-ball or England chasing down record totals – are all examples of 'Bazball'. Basically, it means fear nothing and to some extent, nothing is impossible, but while this sounds like an exciting prospect, Ashwin is not sure it is ideal for Test cricket, especially from a bowler's point of view.

What do you think of R Ashwin's assessment of 'Bazball'  (Getty Images)

"It was amazing to watch, but as a bowler it is quite scary to think where the game is headed. I definitely think the ball and the pitches have a role to play in how England are playing, permitting a certain brand of cricket," Ashwin told The Telegraph in an exclusive interview.

The term has been ridiculed by McCullum himself, as he admits to not being a fan of 'Bazball'. He called it 'silly' and downplayed the significance of the results England have achieved with its swashbuckling new approach, saying that tougher challenges await. Australia batter Steve Smith has questioned the longevity of the approach, saying it will be interesting to see whether England stick to it when playing against the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood in Australian conditions, while Rahul Dravid simply said, 'I don't know what it means'. Ashwin though added that whether 'Bazball' is ideal of Test cricket is something he is not sure of.

"I think we need to be careful about this brand of cricket being the way forward. Test cricket has been the same for hundreds of years and there will be games and series that are played like that. Whether it's the same brand of cricket you play all along is very debatable," the India spinner pointed out.