Joe Root’s recurring trouble with leg‑before‑wicket dismissals and England’s inability to turn solid starts into full centuries are the only blemishes on what Nasser Hussain describes as an overall brighter batting display since the advent of Bazball. In the third Test at Edgbaston, England piled together 453 runs in their first innings, carving out a massive lead of 320 over Pakistan. The host side were firmly in the driver’s seat and appeared set to complete a 3‑0 whitewash when rain interrupted play with Pakistan at 52‑2 and still 268 runs behind. "I’ve liked the tempo of the batting in this series," the former England captain said.
"We talked early in the Bazball era about England playing too hard and missing chances. They’ve got the tempo right now, especially in the middle order – Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Dan Lawrence and Gus Atkinson are all playing with a good rhythm." Hussain also praised the top of the order, noting that even bowlers such as Josh Tongue and Jofra Archer have contributed useful runs. "I like Emilio Gay’s tempo at the top.
He knows when to defend, when to attack and he can sit in his crease and absorb pressure. English cricket, and this side in particular, have been crying out for that kind of composure," he added.
Despite the many positives, Hussain identified two persistent issues that England have yet to resolve in the Pakistan series. The first concerns Root’s susceptibility to LBW. All four of his dismissals in the series have come via that mode, and the world’s second‑most prolific Test run‑scorer continues to wrestle with a technical flaw that opponents are exploiting. "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 obvious he’s having a problem.
He tried to fix it in the first innings, made a technical adjustment and then got out LBW again." The second problem, according to Hussain, is England’s historic shortage of centuries. While several batsmen have produced respectable half‑centuries – Brook (75), Smith (69), Lawrence (65), Gay (60) and Ollie Robinson (50) – none have managed to push on to three figures. In total, the series has seen 14 fifties without a single hundred, a feat not recorded in an English Test series since the 1888 Ashes.
"The other one is getting hundreds," Hussain said. "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 fast‑bowler Stuart Broad echoed the sentiment, arguing that the definition of a "good" score should be reconsidered after a scorching summer that has favoured bowlers. Broad pointed out that a 60 on a difficult, bowler‑friendly pitch can be as valuable as a century on a flat surface. "Top‑order batting has been very difficult in this series," he said.
"Root, England’s best‑ever player, has struggled for runs in this series. If he’s struggling, it’s okay 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 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 context of the series also highlights how England’s batting approach has evolved under the Bazball philosophy.
The aggressive, free‑scoring mindset has produced quick runs and put pressure on opposition bowlers, yet the lack of conversion suggests a need for a balance between aggression and innings‑building. Analysts suggest that while the middle order’s brisk scoring rates have helped amass large totals, the team must develop strategies to occupy the crease longer, especially against stronger bowling attacks. In practical terms, this could involve more disciplined shot selection early in the innings, better handling of swing and seam on English pitches, and targeted coaching to address specific technical flaws – such as Root’s LBW vulnerability.
Some coaches propose that Root work on his foot‑work and bat‑plane alignment to mitigate the risk of being trapped in front of the stumps, while also encouraging him to play with a slightly more upright stance to give himself more margin. The series also raises questions about the role of lower‑order contributions. Players like Ollie Robinson, who have been effective with both ball and bat, provide depth, but relying on them for substantial scores is not a sustainable long‑term plan.
England’s selectors may need to consider promoting a more technically sound batsman into the top six, or giving emerging talent more exposure to develop the required temperament for big innings. As the rain‑affected third Test moves toward its conclusion, England remain in a dominant position, but the statistical anomalies – no centuries, multiple LBW dismissals for their star batsman, and a reliance on rapid half‑centuries – serve as a reminder that even a commanding lead can be fragile if the team cannot adapt to varied conditions.
The upcoming matches against Pakistan and future series against Australia and New Zealand will test whether England can translate their aggressive intent into the kind of marathon innings that win championships. Fans can watch the remainder of day three of the third Test live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.15 am on Friday, with streaming options available for those without a Sky subscription. All games continue to be broadcast on Sky Sports.