Managing Director of England Men's Cricket Rob Key believes the term 'Bazball' "devalues what Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have done" with the Test team.
Key took charge in April with England having won just one of their last 17 Test matches and he first appointed Stokes as captain, before making McCullum the Test coach. And the pair have made an immediate impact, with England whitewashing World Test Champions New Zealand and producing a record-breaking victory against India.
Stokes and McCullum have got England playing a more attacking, positive brand of cricket which has been dubbed 'Bazball' and Key is not a fan of the term. Speaking to BBC Test Match Special, he said: "I'm not mad on 'Bazball' the phrase.
"It's not something I particularly enjoy because it devalues what Ben and Brendon have done. They've been so premeditated almost and methodical in the way they've spoken to people and that's what's made the difference and let them get to this point which is so much more than, 'oh, we're just going to go out there and look to be positive and play a few shots'.
"Brendon will at times on purpose say to one of the players like Ollie Pope 'I can't get to the ground, give us a lift' and that's when he's doing his work with them.
"There have been all these moments when they have made sure that they've used the right terminology and that's what's bred the confidence."
McCullum has also said he is not a fan of the term, labelling it "silly". Speaking on SEN Radio, he said: "I don't really like that silly term that people are throwing out there.
"Because there's actually quite a bit of thought that goes into how the guys manufacture their performances and when they put pressure on bowlers and which bowlers they put pressure on. There's also times where they've absorbed pressure beautifully as well.
"I'm sure that our guys will try and still maintain a really positive approach. I think the real key is not just the crash and burn if we look at the approach of how the guys have done it."
