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New Zealand anticipates that England will maintain their aggressive, attacking style of cricket when the two teams clash in the upcoming home Test series, even after Ben Stokes’ side suffered a disappointing defeat in Pakistan.

Despite the recent setback, England’s ‘Bazball’ approach under head coach Brendon McCullum has proved effective in their Test resurgence. So, bookmakers are high on their chances of winning in New Zealand.

Fresh off an impressive 3-0 whitewash against India, New Zealand heads into their upcoming series with England full of confidence. The first of the three match Test series begins at Christchurch on November 28.

England’s recent 2-1 defeat in Pakistan has reignited the debate surrounding their aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach. Critics, including former England captains Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan, argue that the high-risk, high-reward strategy, while entertaining, can be inconsistent and vulnerable to collapse.

Recent years have seen the English side transform cricket from a sombre, conservative affair to more of a video-game-like approach. Instead of being risk-averse, Stokes’ side play as though they have nothing to lose, and can just restart the game if things go poorly.

So the big question is: now that they have had some tough losses, when England come to New Zealand later this month, will they revert to a more conventional approach? Or will they continue gambling as though they were having a spin on Cricket Mania at one of the online casinos NZ has to offer?

Kiwi captain Latham is confident that England will set their recent failures aside and stick to their usual tactical vision.

Latham, speaking to reporters on Thursday after returning from India, mentioned that England had an attacking brand of cricket that they preferred to play, and he thought they would approach the series in the same way. He added that New Zealand was looking forward to it, describing it as a great challenge.

New Zealand’s historic 3-0 victory over India has reignited their hopes of reaching the World Test Championship final, for the first time since winning the first edition of the competition in 2021. They occupy the fourth spot in the rankings, behind Australia, India, and Sri Lanka, with England in sixth place.

He said that if they played well, the rest would follow naturally. However, he stressed that the key for them was to enjoy the game. He mentioned that the conditions and the team they were facing were completely different, and they would need to be at their best once again.

Latham also talked about how well his team did in India. He said that Indian cricket was special and pointed out how often they played against India and how many players shared the field with them in the IPL. He also appreciated India’s sportsmanship after they lost and said they were still a good team.

“They certainly don’t become a bad team overnight, and I’m sure they’ll turn things around in time,” the 32-year-old said.

New Zealand had a depressing 0-2 loss to Sri Lanka before coming to India, which made Latham say that winning the series in India felt even better. He thought about how hard their time in Sri Lanka had been and agreed that the loss had been hard for the team.

However, he emphasised that overcoming such adversity and achieving something historic made the win even more meaningful. Latham noted that their success in India was a result of not only hard work but also the team’s unity and resilience.

He stressed the importance of enjoying each other’s company and taking time to celebrate together as a group. The victory was about more than just the cricket, it was about bonding and enjoying the moment.

Additionally, Latham mentioned that the extra days of recovery in India had been crucial, allowing the players to recharge and be in the best possible shape for the series.

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