Joe Root’s persistent vulnerability to leg‑before‑wicket dismissals and England’s inability to turn solid starts into full centuries were the only blemishes on what former captain Nasser Hussain described as an improved post‑Bazball batting display. In the third Test at Edgbaston, England piled up a massive 453 runs in the first innings, establishing a dominant lead of 320 over Pakistan. The hosts were firmly in the driver’s seat and appeared on track for a clean 3‑0 series sweep.
Pakistan, still 268 runs behind, were 52 for 2 when rain intervened and halted further play. "I’ve enjoyed the tempo of the batting in this series," Hussain said, reflecting on the aggressive yet measured approach that has become a hallmark of the Bazball era. "Earlier we talked about England playing too hard and missing chances, but now the rhythm is right, especially in the middle order with Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Dan Lawrence and Gus Atkinson." He praised the top‑order as well, noting that Emilio Gay has shown the right blend of patience and aggression.
"He knows when to grind and when to attack, something English cricket has needed for a long time," Hussain added. Even bowlers who have been called upon to bat, such as Josh Tongue and Jofra Archer, have contributed useful runs, underscoring the depth of the batting line‑up. Despite the overall positivity, Hussain pinpointed two lingering issues that England must still resolve if they are to dominate future opponents. First, Root’s four dismissals in the match have all been by LBW.
The world’s second‑most prolific Test run‑scorer continues to be undone by this particular mode of dismissal. "There are two boxes England haven’t ticked yet," Hussain explained.
"Their best player is grappling with one specific way of getting out – LBW. It’s glaring. He tried to fix it after the first innings, made a technical tweak, and was caught LBW again." Second, the team’s conversion rate from half‑centuries to centuries has hit historic lows.
Brook (75), Smith (69), Lawrence (65), Gay (60) and Ollie Robinson (50) have all crossed the fifty‑run mark without reaching three figures. In total, fourteen half‑centuries have been recorded across the series, yet not a single century has been made – a phenomenon not seen in an English Test series since the 1888 Ashes.
"The other issue is converting those starts into hundreds," Hussain continued. "You can beat Pakistan with 40s, 50s and 60s, but to compete with Australia or the New Zealand side we faced earlier in the summer, you need big hundreds and massive scores.
England simply need to turn those solid foundations into big innings." Former England paceman Stuart Broad echoed the sentiment, suggesting that the definition of a ‘good’ score may need to be reconsidered after a scorching summer that has favoured bowlers. Broad argued that, given the challenging conditions, scores in the 60s and 70s have been as valuable as centuries on flatter pitches. "Top‑order batting has been very difficult in this series," Broad said. "Root, England’s best‑ever player, has struggled for runs.
If he’s finding it hard, it’s understandable that the rest of the lineup also faces challenges. We can’t praise someone like Ollie Robinson, who is taking wickets at an astonishing average of around six, and then complain that we should be scoring more centuries." He went on to stress that a 60 on today’s tough surfaces feels like a hundred on more batting‑friendly tracks. "You’ve had to work as hard for a 60 on these pitches as you would for a hundred on a normal Test ground," Broad concluded.
In summary, while England’s post‑Bazball batting has shown a pleasing tempo and depth, two critical areas remain: Root’s ongoing battle with LBW dismissals and the team’s failure to convert half‑centuries into the big scores required against stronger opposition. Addressing these concerns will be essential for England to maintain their dominance and translate strong starts into match‑winning totals in future Tests.