Joe Root’s recurring vulnerability to leg‑before‑wicket dismissals and England’s inability to turn solid starts into full centuries were the only blemishes on an otherwise encouraging post‑Bazball batting display, according to former England captain Nasser Hussain. In the third Test at Edgbaston, England piled up a massive 453 runs in their first innings, carving out a dominant lead of 320 over Pakistan. The hosts were firmly in the driver’s seat and appeared set to complete a 3‑0 series whitewash. Pakistan, meanwhile, found themselves at 52‑2, still trailing by 268 runs, when rain intervened and halted play.
"I’ve really liked the tempo of the batting in this series," Hussain said. "When we first talked about the Bazball approach, the criticism was that England were playing too hard and not capitalising on chances.
They’ve got the tempo right now, especially in the middle order with Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Dan Lawrence and Gus Atkinson." He added that even the bowlers‑turned‑batsmen, such as Josh Tongue and Jofra Archer, were contributing useful runs, and praised the opening pair for their measured approach. "Emilio Gay sets a good tempo at the top. He can bat for time and knows when to absorb pressure. English cricket, and this side in particular, have been crying out for that steadiness," Hussain observed.
Despite the overall positivity, Hussain flagged two specific issues that still need attention. The first concerns Root’s string of leg‑before‑wicket dismissals. All four of his wickets in the series have come in that manner, highlighting a technical flaw that the world’s second‑most prolific Test run‑scorer has yet to resolve.
"Obviously there are two boxes they haven’t ticked," Hussain explained. "Their greatest player is struggling with one specific type of dismissal: LBW.
It’s so obvious he’s struggling. He tried to address it in the first innings, made a technical adjustment and then got out LBW again." The second problem is more collective: England’s conversion rate from half‑centuries to full hundreds has hit historic lows. Brook (75), Smith (69), Lawrence (65), Gay (60) and Ollie Robinson (50) have all crossed the fifty‑run mark without progressing to three figures.
In total, the series has produced 14 half‑centuries and not a single century – a feat not seen in an English Test series since the 1888 Ashes. "The other one is getting hundreds," Hussain noted.
"You can beat Pakistan with 40s, 50s and 60s. To beat Australia or the New Zealand side we saw earlier in the summer, you need big hundreds and massive scores.
England just need to convert those starts into big scores." Former England bowler Stuart Broad echoed the sentiment that the lack of centuries should be viewed in context. He argued that the summer’s bowler‑friendly conditions have made a score of 60 feel as valuable as a hundred on a flat pitch. "Top‑order batting has been very difficult in this series," Broad said.
"Root, England’s best‑ever player, has struggled for runs in this series. If he’s struggling, it’s OK for everyone else to struggle. We can’t praise the likes of Ollie Robinson, who is taking 20‑odd wickets at an average of around 6.00, and also say, ‘We should be getting more centuries.’ To be honest, this summer I think a 60 has felt like a hundred.
You’ve had to work as hard for a 60 on these pitches as you would for a hundred on a normal Test match surface." The broader picture suggests that England’s new aggressive mindset – the so‑called Bazball philosophy – has injected a fresh sense of purpose and brisk scoring into the middle order. Players such as Brook and Smith are playing with freedom, rotating the strike and punishing loose deliveries, while the newer faces like Atkinson and Lawrence are providing stability. Yet the transition from aggressive intent to sustained concentration over long periods remains a work in progress.
Technical adjustments for Root will be crucial. Analysts have pointed out that his foot‑placement and line against the off‑side have become predictable, allowing bowlers to target the pads. A more upright stance and a slight shift in the bat‑to‑pad alignment could reduce the frequency of LBW decisions. Coaches are likely to spend extra sessions in the nets focusing on those nuances, especially as England prepare for the final Test of the series and the upcoming summer tour.
On the conversion front, the team’s batting coach has hinted at mental‑strength drills to help players push past the fifty‑run barrier. The psychological hurdle of reaching a milestone can be as significant as any technical flaw. By fostering a culture where a fifty is celebrated as a platform rather than a destination, England hope to nurture the habit of building bigger innings. In summary, while England’s post‑Bazball batting has shown a pleasing tempo and depth, the twin challenges of Root’s LBW susceptibility and the century drought need addressing before the team can claim dominance against stronger opposition.
As the series draws to a close, the focus will shift from merely amassing quick runs to constructing innings that stand the test of time, turning promising starts into match‑winning scores.