England's way of playing cricket, which is popularly known as 'Bazball', has been added as a term in Harper Collins dictionary. According to the dictionary, it means that Bazball is "A style of Test cricket in which the batting side plays in a highly aggressive manner." The Collins dictionary considered Bazball as one of the ten most significant new words in 2023.
The usage of the term came into existence in the English summer of 2022. Before the period, England was going through a tough period in Test cricket. Hence, England got a new management, new coaching staff, and new captain, and changed their entire way of playing cricket. England appointed Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes as their then-new head coach and captain respectively in Test cricket.
The two were responsible for making England play in an aggressive way in Test cricket. McCullum, who is fondly called as 'Bazz' in cricket, was instrumental in materializing the way of England's new style. Hence, his way of asking the players to play aggressive cricket is called 'Bazball'. It also rhymes with the term 'Baseball', a sport similar to cricket where they swing the ball with a stick as hard as possible.
I don't know what that is, honestly - Marnus Labuschagne
After the addition of the term to the dictionary, the news has gone viral. Marnus Labuschagne, who is in India with the Australian squad for the ODI World Cup 2023, was asked to give his opinion about the same. The Australian middle-order batter said that he had no idea about it and felt that the move to add the term to the dictionary was a bad move.
"Oh man, that is garbage. I don't know what that is honestly. I have no idea what you are talking about," said Labuschagne about the addition of the term to dictionary. Earlier this year, Australia took on England in their own soil in the prestigious Ashes series. In the series, the term was used frequently. The series ended with a 2-2 tie, which was an enthralling series of Test cricket.
Watch the reaction of Marnus Labuschagne here:
Labuschagne's reply after adding "BazzBall" in Dictionary....!!!!pic.twitter.com/a5hEda2mOZ
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 1, 2023