‘Australia did it 20 years before’: Adam Gilchrist takes a brutal dig at England’s Bazball ahead of Ashes 2025-26

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As the countdown begins for the highly anticipated Ashes 2025-26 in Australia, the buzz surrounding England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach is once again heating up. Under the leadership of Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, England have revolutionized Test cricket with their fearless batting style — often throwing caution to the wind in pursuit of dominance. While this approach has brought entertainment and mixed results, it has also stirred debates about its sustainability, especially against Australia’s well-drilled attack. Fans on both sides are eagerly awaiting another fiery contest as England prepare to test their attacking template in the challenging Australian conditions.

Former Australian wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist has reignited the pre-Ashes rivalry by taking a pointed jab at England’s Bazball. Responding to opener Zak Crawley’s comments that ‘Bazball winds the Aussies up,’ Gilchrist brushed aside the notion, insisting that Australia had been playing an aggressive brand of cricket long before England gave it a name.

“We were doing it 20 years before them. It’s just the way you play cricket. No, it (Bazball) does not wind me up. It makes for compelling viewing. Bring it on,” said Gilchrist during an appearance on Kayo Sports.

Crawley’s statement, made in The Times, suggested that England’s bold batting style unsettled Australia during the 2023 Ashes, which ended in a 2-2 draw. However, Gilchrist — a vital part of Australia’s dominant era in the early 2000s — dismissed that theory, reminding everyone that players like himself, Ricky Ponting, and Matthew Hayden had already mastered the art of attacking Test cricket long before the Bazball label came into existence.

Gilchrist’s response underlines the competitive tension building up before the next series, where both sides will look to make a statement — England to prove their method works overseas, and Australia to show that they remain the true masters of aggressive Test cricket.

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The legendary wicketkeeper also addressed Crawley’s comments about the ‘moral Ashes,’ a term that emerged after the controversial 2023 series. England’s frustration following Jonny Bairstow’s stumping by Alex Carey at Lord’s led to heated debates, with some English players and fans claiming they had won the moral victory despite the series ending in a draw. Gilchrist was quick to question the logic behind that narrative.

“Bazball really winds them up, doesn’t it? Which is great. If they get wound up, that’s better for us. All that talk after the last series about the ‘moral Ashes’ — that was just a consequence of us drawing the series. In my eyes, if they’d won, they would never have said it, so it’s a compliment that they felt the need,” added Gilchrist.

Known for redefining the wicketkeeper’s role with his explosive batting, Gilchrist amassed 5,570 runs in 96 Tests at a strike rate of 82 — numbers that back his claim of Australia being the true pioneers of attacking Test cricket. With his comments adding spice to the build-up, fans can expect another emotionally charged and fiercely competitive Ashes series later this year.

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