We review the recently concluded five-Test series between England and Australia that ended 2-2 - with Australia retaining the Ashes. It was a series defined by England's 'Bazball' approach to batting - though that undersells how well Australia's batters resisted English bowling and how well Australia bowled in largely batting-friendly conditions.

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Talking Points:

• A neutral view of the Ashes - and how it is hard to pick a team to support


• The limits of Bazball - and why England's recent success stems from their bowling depth


•  Australia's bowlers adjusting to the flat pitches and England's risk-taking


• Why did England not want to prepare seamer-friendly pitches at home and capitalise on their big strength?


• Stokes v Starc on the final morning at Lord's


• The cult of Bazball - and how it fits in well with the English cricket establishment's exceptionalism


• Mark Wood's pace and Nathan Lyon's absence


• The effect of Bazball on England's bowling attack


• Stuart Broad's cinematic goodbye


•  England's chances in the five-Test series in India next year

Participants:

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)

Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd)

Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo page

Ashoka (@ABVan)

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Related:

• Why did Bazball fail to regain the Ashes - Kartikeya Date - Cricketingview Substack


• Stokes and McCullum want to save Test cricket but we must look beyond Big Three - Jonathan Liew - Guardian


• England 'wanted to pick Wood' but settle for Tongue in all-seam attack - Matt Roller - ESPNcricinfo


•  Bazball: a cult of bruised masculinity where you win even if you lose - Barney Ronay - Guardian


• Mark Wood and the primal theatre of pure pace - Ben Gardner - Wisden