# Cricket-England’s absence robs WTC final of ‘Bazball’ buzz Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2023-02-21 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: England Fans Left Wishing for Earlier 'Bazball' Meta Description: India just needs one more win in Border-Gavaskar Trophy series to secure a place in World Test Championship final. England's 'Bazball' revolution URL: https://financedigest.com/cricket-englands-absence-robs-wtc-final-of-bazball-buzzhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2023-02-21t033908z1lynxmpej1k03artroptp4cricket-test-wtc-1736814424956-compressed.jpg) By Amlan Chakraborty NEW DELHI (Reuters) – This year’s World Test Championship (WTC) final will again be a party without hosts, leaving England fans wishing their team’s ‘Bazball’ revolution had been sparked a little earlier. Two years after losing to New Zealand in the inaugural WTC final in Southampton, India are on the verge of sealing a spot in June’s title decider at The Oval. India, who have taken an emphatic 2-0 lead in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia, [need one more victory to secure](https://www.financedigest.com/the-three-must-haves-of-cyber-security-that-you-need-to-stay-cyber-safe.html "The three “must haves” of cyber security that you need to stay cyber safe") their place, while avoiding a 4-0 whitewash would punch a ticket for Pat Cummins and his men. Should either of them fail in their pursuits, only [Sri Lanka](https://www.financedigest.com/doctors-bankers-protest-impossible-situation-as-sri-lanka-runs-out-of-fuel.html "Doctors, bankers protest ‘impossible situation’ as Sri Lanka runs out of fuel") have an outside chance of gatecrashing the party, but they must triumph 2-0 in New Zealand in March before even dreaming of making the final. England’s mathematical chance of making the [final were snuffed out after India hammered Australia inside three days](https://www.financedigest.com/stocks-fall-treasury-yields-rise-upon-final-2022-trading-day.html "Stocks fall, Treasury yields rise upon final 2022 trading day") in Nagpur earlier this month. It came just as England, under captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon “Baz” McCullum, were threatening to change the [way test](https://www.financedigest.com/in-shanghai-lockdown-blues-make-way-for-covid-testing-gripes.html "In Shanghai, lockdown blues make way for COVID testing gripes") cricket is played with the “Bazball” approach to the longest format. The stunning transformation continued with a comprehensive victory over New Zealand at Tauranga on Sunday, which gave the new captain-coach [partnership a 10th win in 11 tests since they came in and put](https://www.financedigest.com/adidas-puts-partnership-with-kanye-west-under-review.html "Adidas puts partnership with Kanye West under review") the emphasis on entertainment over outcome. It’s completely unrecognisable,” [veteran seamer Stuart](https://www.financedigest.com/investment-firm-fort-lp-appoints-veteran-asset-management-executive-stuart-bohart-as-president.html "Investment Firm Fort LP Appoints Veteran Asset Management Executive Stuart Bohart as President") Broad said at Bay Oval on the eve of the victory on Saturday. “It’s a bit of a shame there’s not a fly-on-the-wall documentary on it because it’s amazing to be part of. I’m so lucky to see it first-hand. Honestly, [since June](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-mortgage-approvals-hit-lowest-since-june-2020.html "UK mortgage approvals hit lowest since June 2020"), I can’t remember a negative word in the dressing room. It’s phenomenal to watch how Baz and Stokesy go about their business.” Stokes replaced Joe Root as [captain in April last year after debacles in Australia](https://www.financedigest.com/cricket-former-australia-captain-paine-retires-from-first-class-cricket.html "Cricket-Former Australia captain Paine retires from first-class cricket") and West Indies, which effectively cooked England’s WTC goose and prompted the change in the guard. [Top nine test](https://www.financedigest.com/testing-waters-hungarys-central-bank-flags-cut-in-top-end-of-rate-corridor.html "Testing waters, Hungary’s central bank flags cut in top end of rate corridor") teams play six series each – three at home and three away – in a two-year cycle, with the top two making the final of the WTC, which was designed to lend context to bilateral series. Under Stokes, England blanked New Zealand 3-0, [beat India at Edgbaston and prevailed 2-1 against South Africa](https://www.financedigest.com/inmobi-and-coca-cola-win-mma-smarties-south-africa-award-for-beat-can-campaign.html "InMobi and Coca-Cola Win MMA SMARTIES South Africa Award for Beat Can Campaign") on home soil. Their radical brand of cricket worked abroad too, as they completed a 3-0 sweep in Pakistan and now just need to avoid a defeat in Wellington this week to win the two-test series in New Zealand, which [falls outside the WTC cycle](https://www.financedigest.com/julius-baer-2022-profits-fall-as-it-hits-business-cycle-targets.html "Julius Baer 2022 profits fall as it hits business cycle targets"). Had [England’s revival](https://www.financedigest.com/cricket-fiery-stokes-revives-england-but-s-africa-build-good-lead.html "Cricket-Fiery Stokes revives England but S Africa build good lead") been sparked a little earlier, they might be bidding to complete the collection of all three of cricket’s major men’s global titles in June’s WTC final. They won the Twenty20 [World Cup](https://www.financedigest.com/soccer-englands-houghton-will-keep-knocking-the-door-for-the-world-cup.html "Soccer-England’s Houghton will keep ‘knocking the door’ for the World Cup") in Australia in November and will defending the 50-overs title they won in 2019 in India later this year. (Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; Editing by Nick Mulvenney and Bradley Perrett) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---